That was Civilians News first inclination anyway, as our writers sat conjuring up a lump sum sentiment on the current affairs of this years political, Super Bowl, “pregame speeches.”

Obama DNC

After the Democratic National Convention (DNC) closed last week, a lot of media focus was on the charismatic speeches from both President, Barack Obama and First Lady, Michelle Obama. To recap, President Obama began with a Hollywood style short film, covering America’s most beautiful landscapes with a voice over from George Clooney. Clooney was saying something like; we have come a long way but America has the strength to persevere, or something of that politically vague nature.

The President spoke vibrantly and openly, while maintaining a stern tone. Obama harshly, STABBED ROMNEY AND HIS RUNNING MATE PAUL RYAN, with remarks regarding the Republican’s foreign policy. Obama renounced the Republican’s ideologies concerning a potential war against Iran, as well as the Republican nominee’s experience in dealing with such foreign affairs. Obama capped off the sentiment by saying; “Mr. Romney still thinks Russia is America’s number 1 enemy!”

The Democratic National Convention, was not as full as in 2008, when President Obama’s ticket had a bit more “historical luster,” however, it was still packed with a full crowd of patriotic Americans.

The Republican National Convention, conversely boasted less than half as many participants. The Tampa Bay stadium was only full to half capacity, with a notable lack of ethnic diversity, IF ANY, amidst the crowd.

LUCKILY, Hermann Cane had an answer for the crowd though, when Fox News anchor Bret Baier, asked why Cane felt that minorities were lacking in attendance. Hermann Cane responded, “Because their all at work, silly, black folks aren’t retired yet.”

Charming.

After that, Clint Eastwood explained to the crowd the difficulties of growing past the age of 80, while bantering on to an empty chair on stage, for roughly 7 minutes.

The hero of the RNC, the king of the night, Mitt Romney spoke beautifully and elegantly. Looking very “presidential,” Mitt spoke vaguely about job creation and getting America BACK ON TRACK. Sadly, Romney and his Presidential running mate, Paul Ryan, both forgot to address America’s troops overseas… Something President Barack Obama, chose to do several times during his and Joe Biden’s, Democratic National Convention, speeches.

Democratic National Convention

The Republican National Convention did however have balloons, as Fox News Anchor Megan Kelly will contend, the Democratic National Convention did not, as the Democrats these days are simply resorting to a potpourri of glistening paper.

On another noteworthy token, Ex-President Bill Clinton and Barack Obama shared a kodak moment on stage after Bill Clinton read off a 48 minute point by point, bulletin style speech, about why Democrats need to be in office. Clinton captured the crowd, while wooing audiences nationwide, through a simple and sufficient tone of expression, that really touched on the issues. Clinton urged ALL Americans, both Democrat and Republican, to consider the Republican’s ignorance concerning climate change, as well as the Republican desire to manifest war in the Middle East.

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Last month, Presidential hopeful Willard “Mitt” Romney, selected congressman Paul Ryan, as his Presidential running mate for 2012.

Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin) has made a name for himself the last several years in Congress fighting President Obama tooth and nail over American fiscal policy. Ryan has lambasted the President’s economic policies and even characterized President Obama as a wasteful spender who has, “run away with the American economy.”

Paul Ryan Budget Proposal

Paul Ryan, like many Conservative leaders has fought every spending increase initiative in Washington, for the previous 2 years. The “Ryan Plan,” the Republican budget which currently sits in stark contrast to President Obama’s proposed budget plan, also aims to eliminate federal healthcare initiatives, as well as federal food assistance.

When it comes to military defense however, it seems Paul Ryan aims to invest larger amounts of an already vast budget, which exceeds over 35% of America’s annual spending. So while Paul Ryan on one hand aims to “reform” Washington spending, he ironically does not believe in military frugality.

Ryan’s budget also aims to cut spending, while the President’s plan moves to continue along the same progressive inflation, which America has experienced for the last century….

President Obama has said countless times that he has aimed to support America’s poverty stricken families through spending initiatives, however Conservatives like Paul Ryan have blocked these attempts….

So is this contrast between Paul Ryan and President Obama’s economic policies a good thing for America? Civilians News, thinks not so much….

What may appear to be a “philosophical difference,” over whether Washington spending will actually improve life for Americans, is actually not a philosophical difference at all.

Paul Ryan Budget

Republican’s are clearly aware that government spending “should” help cure an ailing American economy in many ways, as it did throughout the aftermath of the 1st Great Depression. However, Conservatives seem to have come to the opinion that government spending will no longer prove effective in the same way as it has historically, today.

Conservatives point to the failed “stimulus package” in 2008, as evidence that massive government spending of this nature, simply becomes “pork” legislature, leaking straight out of tax payers pockets and than funneled only to government kick backs and Washington corruption.

Often portrayed as rationale for this ideology, is the failed 200+ billion dollar stimulus package, from just a few years ago. However, if all of this government is leaking out… Where is the money going….

EVERY Politician is stealing tax money!

Civilians News is going to put this as politely as possible, after story, after story,  partisan back and forth, the liberal, conservative  blame game so to speak and the whole political “riga-ma-roll”….

These so called “philosophical differences,” between legislatures, between parties, between conservatives and liberals, Republicans and Democrats, and overall “partisan agendas”; often appear more like the exact kind of smoke and mirrors, that cover up the most pressing issue facing America today….. GOVERNMENT ECONOMIC CORRUPTION FROM BOTH PARTIES!

To get back on base, Paul Ryan spent all of 2011, fighting spending, blockading the President and “O ya,” busting up every workers union in his home-state of Wisconsin… Paul Ryan also argued that Washington spending must be substantially limited despite its historically positive effects on the American economy, evidenced throughout previous recessions. Paul Ryan feels this way due to his fear over the dollar losing its future value and the simple fact that Congressman Ryan feels the stimulus package, indicates Washington will corruptly spend any more additional money taken from tax payers like himself….

The irony here is that Paul Ryan is probably right. Greedy, snake-like, shady, scumbag, venomous politicians…. Like Paul Ryan himself, will likely end up with any increases in Washington spending, or government taxation, that results from the failing economy.

Termed “Crony Capitalism,” this triangle of politics and money, is the exact source of American pain, felt through this long lasting economic collapse that has belittled the American spirit.

Legislatures and corporate employees have never been as tied together, in their business, as well as their affiliations, as they are today in Washington/Wall Street politics.

Due to the 2010 Citizens United Supreme Court decision; Companies and wealthy elites are today allowed to donate UNLIMITED AMOUNTS OF MONEY, to decision makers like Paul Ryan and Obama, politicians who simultaneously hold the power to weave these corporations economic policies.

By donating to politicians like Paul Ryan, companies or even wealthy American’s with economic incentives, can than use politicians like Ryan and even President Obama, to continue pillaging the global markets, which are greatly effected on Wall St. by government actions!

Even by creating gridlock, companies can perpetuate economic advantages and disadvantages in oil markets and other global money markets, controlled primarily on wall street. Whether it be through the oil markets, military industrial complex, prison industrial complex, or one of any number of special interest groups, which receive ”pork” legislation, companies seem to be able to donate money and get it right back through Washington a number of ways these days.

It is public knowledge that Representative Paul Ryan received over 2 million dollars more than any other congressman last year, through “campaign donations.” So should there be any wondering when it comes to why Representative Paul Ryan has clung so steadily to partisan gridlock in congress, particularly when gridlock supports his donors economic incentives?”

The same type of situation has occurred with both parties presidential nominee, as well. At one point in the newest “partisan contest,” between Obama and Romney, both candidates were primarily supported economically, (with tens of millions of dollars) by the same corporation…. Goldman Sachs….

Why would a private equity firm like Goldman Sachs invest in 2 presidential nominees running against one another… This is because Goldman’s profits primarily stem from government subsidies in the housing market handed out by Washington… Can you see the triangle of money flowing there, now where else like the housing market, is America so corrupted….

Do not trust the media for their word either! Look around, study the world around you! Study the incentives of today’s Washington bureaucrats,  political pundits and election time sand baggers. Ask yourself when voting, “what does this politician have to gain or lose personally from their viewpoints.” And most importantly, look at partisanship objectively and notice how all this nonsense about Republicans and Democrats…. Is really just used as a distraction to deter America from building our country…. While instead corporations and wealthy aristocrats, whom have perpetuated their power and wealth, tear our country down, through “iron triangle” politics!

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Last week, President Obama slammed his opponent’s proposed tax resolution, labeling Mitt Romney’s plan, “Romney Hood.” Speaking in Connecticut, where Romney formerly served as Governor, President Obama told the crowd that candidate Romney’s plan would cost middle class families additional tax dollars, while simultaneously levying tax breaks for only the wealthiest of Americans.

Romney Hood

Obama’s correspondence team said; “Romney’s tax plan would give tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans while forcing middle-class families to pay up to $2,000 a year in additional taxes.”

Citing a study done by the “allegedly non partisan,” Tax Policy Center, the President stated that millionaires would receive a tax cut of approximately 250,000 a year if governor Romney were to succeed in passing his tax reforms.

While Romney has made no contradictions about his past success, the former Massuchusettes Governor has stated vaguely that he would like to lower taxes on the wealthy, similar to the style of Ronald Reagan’s infamous “trickle down economics policy.” Alluding to such comparisons, Romney has often stated that he feels the government is wastefully spending tax dollars so excessively that taxation no longer represents an adoration of patriotism.

Obama compares the former governor to King Henry the VIII, from the infamous tale of Robin Hood, but Romney says that is just, “Obama-Loney.”

That’s right. “Obama-Loney.” Pause. Smug laugh? Golf clap? Pony prance?

When speaking to the mainstream media this week, Romney said;

“We have been watching the president say a lot of things about me and my policies — and they’re just not right,” Romney said. “And if I were to coin a term, it would be ‘Obamaloney.’”

“He’s serving up a dish which is simply in contradiction with the truth.”

Obamaloney

It has become apparent that the two candidates defer greatly in regards to the American economy, again signaled today, when Romney chose Senator Paul Ryan as his Vice Presidential running mate. Ryan a self proclaimed, “family man” and “Wiz Khalifa fan,” has been one of Obama’s strongest opponents in regards to national spending and future budget plans. Ryan has repeatedly blocked the President’s attempts to increase the social safety net during the recession, while also preventing the President from increasing food stamp benefits in America.

Criticized sharply by President Obama, Senator Ryan stands that the House of Representatives cannot support any Congressional attempt to increase taxes, in any form. Despite record levels of income disparity in America, Senator Ryan was surely a VP pick looking to inspire some of America’s more Conservative base, which has been less than excited about the former Governors slim margins of victory, thus far.

Nevertheless, as the 2012 Presidential election nears, it appears neither candidate has offered any sort of real leadership in terms of creating the “Change” America had longed for back in 2008. Both candidates are primarily sponsored by Goldman Sachs and other Wall St. firms, which coincidentally were acquitted this week in court, despite obvious economic frauds (See video below).

Wall St. corporations continue to donate “limitless-ly” to both parties, while partisanship and special interest groups continue to deter Americans from the real problems facing the American economy. Fiscal irresponsibility combined with a lack of leadership are allowing firms like Goldman Sachs to go unpunished legally, while simultaneously donating hundreds of millions of dollars to these same politicians, via the 2010 Citizens United – Supreme Court decision.

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For readers who haven’t YET seen the newest installment of the Batman Trilogy, fear not, this article is *spoiler free and will in no way ruin the overall plot of the movie, when or if you decide to watch it.

The most recent installment to Christopher Nolan’s, Batman saga, is both riveting and starkly symbolic of 2011′s Occupy Wall Street protests.

How could any true patriot forget the grotesque images of American police officers, as they went about pepper spraying students involved in the Occupy Wall Street protests last year. How should students with the Constitutional right to peaceably assemble, feel about such punishment from their local, state and federal governments today? How would the Batman feel about this type of police action? And in particular, how should Americans arrested and beaten by police feel, when they are guilty of nothing more than non-violent protest towards a top heavy economy, riddled with Wall Street impunity?

Batman Film Inspired By Modern Day American Patriotism

Often times when history is written, art can take it’s place alongside it’s context through footnotes and referential symbolism. In the case of 2012′s newest Hollywood blockbuster, “The Dark Knight Rises,” it appears the film’s writers were looking to ingrain exactly this type of historical reference into the film’s overall story-line.

Several scenes of the film appear as though they relate in stark contrast to the struggles of Occupy Wall Street protesters last year. *Soft Spoiler Alert (won’t hurt movie experience). In the film there is a scene when “things” are stolen from Wall Street bankers. At that time the hero, chases these thieves, but to the hero’s chagrin, the police  aid the hero’s nemesis by attacking the hero, instead of the thieves…. Sound familiar?

Fox News last fall, broadcast to tens of millions of American households, news reports from millionaire media pundits like Bill O’reilly and Sean Hannity, falsely categorizing Occupy Wall Street protesters with kindergarten like insults, ”dirty” or “un-American.” Yet, rarely did the self proclaimed “fair and unbiased” network acknowledge the plight of the Occupy movement itself, a movement which carried with it over 1 million protesters across America and over 3 million active participants worldwide….

IT IS TIME TO FIX CORPORATE GREED… AND TO START BY REGULATING PRIVATE EQUITY FIRMS LIKE GOLDMAN SACHS AND FANNIE MAE, WHICH CURRENTLY ARE BENEFITING THROUGH CORRUPTION, LINING THE POCKETS OF AMERICA”S POLITICIANS AND FUELING BI-PARTISAN DIVIDE WHILE REAPING BAILOUT BENEFITS!!!!!!!!

Could the Occupy Wall Street message be anymore clear? Yet, Fox News claims this cause is simply a bunch of “kids trying to cause trouble, with no clear goals in mind.” This kind of false categorization and manipulation of American television is propaganda of the most evil and sinister nature, clearly aimed at protecting billionaire constituents, who obviously fear this exact type of grass roots movement in America.

As a consequence of these types of misrepresentations in the mainstream media, police officers than felt empowered last year to pepper spray students taking a stand against economic injustice….

The Dark Knight Rises touches on the role of police officers several times during the film and deeply asks the question… “Should police blindly follow their orders?”

The Hollywood blockbuster further  takes this debate to the forefront by categorizing additional situations where police are often making mistakes by blindly following orders. The Batman film in NO WAY encourages insubordination amongst police officers however, it clearly aims at sending the message to police that it is their principle responsibility as Americans, to think of the overall consequences of their actions in the line of duty.

Furthermore the film goes on to symbolically depict the struggle of American’s who often times feel as though they have but only the most minuscule of opportunity, to ever truly “escape” modern day poverty. The film deals with several characters who are wealthy, corporate and aristocratic while also on the flip side illustrating the mentality of more “street savvy,” character influences.

In the film, it is unclear whether Batman’s nemesis was meant to actually embody the cause of the protesters himself, or whether his movement was in contrast to the chaos of Wall Street benevolence, however the symbolism relating to the American economy today is indisputable. For those of you who have yet to enjoy the film, I will not go on further in order not to spoil ANY of it for you, however when watching the film, even for a second time, take into account the parallels between the Occupy Movement and propaganda relating to the economy today. Civilians News readers are a cut above the rest, they pick out the truth even through the clouds of mainstream media deceit and propaganda. Enjoy your Summer readers!

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A handful of monumental decisions have come down from the Supreme Court in 2012, split hair decisions which will greatly affect the future of America.

At the foreground of the Supreme Court 2012 discussion is the court’s recent decision to largely uphold, President Obama’s Affordable Care Act (aka ObamaCare). Without a doubt this decision comes down as a HUGE win for President Obama, a decision where a conservative Justice, Roberts, may have single handedly given a Democratic President, 4 more years in office.

Those headlines will skower the Times and other partisan based propaganda networks for months, however Civilians News wants to first point out that partisanship SHOULD IN NO WAY PLAY ANY ROLE IN SUCH AN IMPORTANT JUDICIAL PROCEEDING! Which party won or lost American support is meaningless in the Affordable Care Decision, what matters are the facts and the role that this legislation will play in the lives of American citizens, not which Goldman Sachs sponsored candidate won from the deal….

Supreme Court 2012 Affordable Care Act

Clearly, Justice Roberts was inclined to agree. First however, let’s once again examine what was on the table for the future of this monumental 2012, Supreme Court decision. The main question of law, in the eye of the Supreme Court, was whether the Affordable Care Act’s “individual mandate” (punishable by fine) was constitutionally permissible for the federally government to ENFORCE.

To be clear, the main question of law here was; “can the US Government, essentially force, citizens to pay a government based health care fee.”

Civilians News has written several articles chronicling the evolution of the bill, which in many ways has defined President Obama’s first term in office, over the last 3 years.

So is it fair for the government to charge, say a broke college student, $300 dollars a year, as an annual healthcare fee for using America’s medical facilities?  Today it is.

The first fear that comes to mind from this groundbreaking legislation however, is the inherent RISK, of giving such a power to the federal government….

The power to charge citizens fees for government provision is a power that will at first grant 50 million needy American’s healthcare… But what about this legislation’s LONG TERM EFFECTS.

Think about it, under this logic couldn’t the US government also force Americans to pay annual fees for America’s military defense as well…..  And what if the penalties for not paying such fines were raised, could the poor one day be thrown in prison for not contributing? While that whole premise is a bit 1984-esque, these questions were of serious concern to the Supreme Court, when deciding the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, particularly the individual mandate provisions!

It appears now that the Democrats did some handy work in the wording of the Affordable Care Act, which tilted the Judges scales towards the passage of President Obama’s historic legislation, concerning just these fears!

Today the federal government mandate, or enforceable fee, is being labeled as a “tax,” a recent evolution of the Affordable Care Act, which has been rewritten countless times already.  This “verbage” so to speak, makes the NEW GOVERNMENT POWER feel more like an evolution of America’s tax code and less like a historic increase in the role of America’s federal government, at least in the bill’s vernacular.

This wording also, definitely affected Justice Roberts decision to cross partisan lines and swing the scales in favor of the bills passage through the Supreme Court.

In the future however, no one today knows how effective or efficient America’s new health care model will become. Nevertheless, was it not MORALLY AND ETHICALLY RIGHT, to provide assistance for the tens of millions of American’s suffering today with chronic or debilitating illness (making them unable to work)! The Act will make healthcare available for 50 million new Americans, almost instantly.

The Affordable Care Act will largely support the American people from it’s onset and as Justice Roberts must have understood, the bill will also act to display that America is still a country with a sense humanity (however be it a cruel capitalistic, dog eat dog, humanity). Nevertheless, not to be in full support, any enhancement to the federal governments size and stature over American citizens, should always be monitored with the utmost caution (Civilians News job).

What else has the Supreme Court been doing in 2012? The Supreme Court also recently struck down America’s “Apartheid esque” Arizona immigration law, which demanded Americans of Latin descent to carry citizenship papers 24/7. The majority of the panel in the immigration decision rejected provisions in the bill that made it a state crime for immigrants not to register, or hold jobs without proper documentation. The panel also struck down warrant-less arrests ofpeople suspected of being “deportable,” a label seen by the Supreme Court in 2012 as overtly, stereotypical.

Those 2 Supreme Court 2012 cases made the most headlines this month, however 1 more case bars SERIOUS consideration by the American people. This case seemingly slipped beneath the ObamaCare headlines this week, as Wall Street tends to make happen these days….

Recently,this Supreme Court 2012 season, the court reaffirmed its 2-year-old decision allowing corporations to spend freely to influence elections, and politicians, from the Presidency all the way down to the grass roots.

This decision, 6-3, effectively ended popular support to revisit the Citizens United Case (2010), which essentially gave Wall Street and private equity firms, unlimited freedom to effect American politics financially, “through donations.” This financial evil centered around Wall Street private equity firms, has been the centerpiece of Civilians News cries to fix the American government and economy, since Civilians News inception. Nevertheless, despite Civilians News pleas, the Supreme Court found otherwise this Summer despite widespread movements to get the MONEY OUT OF American POLITICS!

The Court struck down a Montana law limiting corporate campaign spending, a law which wouldn’t allow companies like Goldman Sachs to support both candidates of an election…. See Obama v Romney 2012….

By a 5-4 vote, the court’s conservative justices said the decision in the Citizens United case applies to state campaign finance laws and that Montana would not be allowed to limit donations to candidates! The majority turned away pleas from the court’s liberal justices to give a full re-examination to the case due to an influx of massive campaign donations since the January 2010 ruling.

Despite millions of Americans and citizens around the WORLD, protesting in solidarity with the Occupy Wall Street movement this year, aimed primarily at getting “Wall Street Money” out of American politics, the Supreme Court did not listen!

Despite millions of American’s fighting to make the federal government a place where unlimited campaign financing, makes elections less about the American people and more about Wall Street big wigs, the Judicial branch FAILED abruptly.

I wonder if the Supreme Court Justices were influenced by their personal relationships to politicians benefiting from unlimited campaign financing from corporations and 1% elites like the infamous “illuminati esque” Super Pac donors…. Would those politicians who befriend the Supreme Court panel in Washington, have lost any money had the court re-examined Citizens United 2010 and disallowed such an economically top heavy system of campaign finance…..

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When yesterday’s, “best and brightest,” have done nothing except lay the ground work for the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, it is perhaps time civilians find a change of perception concerning American education.

American Education By Wall Street

For the first time in American history, American student loan debt has eclipsed America’s gross credit card debts! Today, primarily young Americans, many of whom remain unemployed, owe the government an estimated 904$ billion dollars in student loan debts alone. This alarming reality also sets an unfortunate precedence in that a large number of college graduates (age 22-27) remain at levels of over 15% unemployment, while at the same time finding insurmountable student loan repayment coming due!

Almost similar to a system of mercantilism, students are essentially being given large sums of money by their government, then taken through that same government’s mental “training.” After which students are again asked by that same government to repay an insurmountable economic burden, with little to no economic potential gained!

Why is this unfortunate triangle of events occurring to American students today? Why are students whom are seeking nothing but a brighter future and a higher earning potential being forced through the federal government wash! The answer will not shock Civilians News readers; Wall Street greed involved with the US government in American Education!

This week, the University of Virgina’s board of governors, fired university President Teresa Sullivan, culminating a whirlwind of scandals surrounding Wall Street’s influence on the Univ. of Virginia!

Teresa Sullivan was characterized by many of her colleagues as a hard working, charismatic leader, an educational role model even, who was able to make tough decisions as school President, including strict budget cuts this past year. Regardless Sullivan was fired this past month for taking a stance against what many American’s have now begun to speculate, has become a full out “privatization” of American institutions, through the federal government.

American Education debt

Teresa Sullivan and her colleagues at UVA had seemingly broke out into a political battle, primarily regarding the direction of the University of Virginia’s scholastic programming. Teresa Sullivan, once a well decorated advisor at the University of Michigan, regarded her role at Virginia as best served through “hands on education,” or learning environments where students and teachers firmly INTERACTED.

While that goal may seem like a logical learning environment required of any University President, it appears former Goldman Sachs partner and fellow UVA board member Peter Kiernan disagreed harshly with Sullivan’s stance that students belonged, “IN THE CLASSROOM!”

Peter Kiernan, a self proclaimed “hedge fund billionaire,” and a man who remains close to Wall Street executives to this day, served alongside Teresa Sullivan at UVA, when dictating the future of the public university. Kiernan’s stance in opposition to Sullivan was that UVA should be run “like a lean business,” with profits coming ahead of substance and a new focus on “online education,” which could be provided cheaper and without extensive labor costs. Allegedly, Peter Kiernan, even influenced his partners at Goldman Sachs and in Government positions, to levy incentives for the University to cut back and continue funneling more and more money back to the federal government through increased university profits!

Despite what Teresa Sullivan now believes was an all out “conspiracy” to force her resignation this week, opposition at UVA allegedly fought her tooth and nail on the issues of “online vs hands on education.” Her resignation in liu of the battle to preserve a focus on learning inside the classroom, has also culminated in a re-vote to possibly reinstate Sullivan as Virginia President.

Even more disturbing this week the media got hold of an email from non other than Peter Kiernan himself, recanting how he diabolically worked behind the scenes with Wall Street bankers to remove Teresa Sullivan from opposing his online education, agendas.More Wall Street financiers on the UVA board aligned with Kiernan, in favor of adopting a leaner, more privatized educational system, with a future focused on online curriculum. Laughably, Peter Kiernan, sent Sullivan several packages outlining his goals for a “sleaker, more profitable” public university, by pointing Sullivan to the success of “The University of Phoenix,” before she was released as school President.

Allegedly Teresa Sullivan found the comparison of UVA, a top ten public institution, with the online University of Pheonix (an often criticized “FOR PROFIT” institution) as a joke. Despite what many of Sullivan’s peers believe to be common sense, it appears teachers all over America have been getting overruled by Wall Street board members at public institutions in regards to cutting out the substance of education at US universities, in favor of more watered down “online based curriculum.”

Robert Kreiser, of the American Association of University Professors, said to the media this week that;

“Texas is the place where this has gone to the extreme, where first [George] Bush and now [Rick] Perry have been filling the school and University boards with political appointees who are favorably disposed to a view of higher education, which is very corporatist and not understanding of what the academic mission should be about.”

The government ties to the public institutions, combined with Wall Street bankers goes even deeper however. At UVA alone, the current slate of board members have donated over $2.1 million dollars to political parties, over the course recent years. According to HuffPost, these donations from UVA board members, have been linked everywhere from the Presidential race to Karl Rove’s Super PAC (Political Action Committee).

John Casteen III, who served as president of UVA for the 20 years prior to Teresa Sullivan. As the state secretary of education from 1982 until 1985, was involved in selecting UVA board members. Casteen later said of that experience;

“Political contributions to our governors has become a more important factor in the selection of our school’s board members.”

Later remarking;

“The question of whether or not people who are political allies and are identified popularly as having been donors to campaigns, that issue never came up back when I was serving on the governor’s staff.”

In conclusion, it appears Wall Street financiers, in cahoots with government appointees, are driving American education down a well! While the federal government continues to print off more student loan dollars, while simply asking for them back 4 years later, students are increasingly finding they are not taking anything positive away from their college experiences.

When Goldman Sachs executives are pointing the University of Virginia towards the “University of Phoenix,” while simultaneously firing the UVA President for standing in their way, American Education is DEAD!

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The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (samhsa.gov), reported in January 2012 that 1/5 American’s (20%) are currently DIAGNOSED and undergoing treatment for a registered mental health disorder. This report led many psychological experts to delve deeper into the state of America’s mental health this year.

America's mental health

According to a scientific study, sampled through 36 randomly selected high schools in Virginia, 13% of high school students, under the age of 18, met the criteria for one of the six most prevalent mental illnesses today; Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, Eating Disorders, Clinical Depression, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Behavioral Disorders. A survey taken by those same Virginia HS students this year, revealed that 20% of students reported bullying on school property and over 1/4 reported ongoing feelings of sadness and or hopelessness, that they personally believed was affecting their education.

Not surprisingly, alcohol and drug use has also continued to climb as a pestering problem for the state of America’s mental health at the adolescent level. According to the Virginia High School survey, a whopping 44% of high school students over the age of 17, reported using alcohols within the previous 30 days!

A survey conducted by the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission showed between 2008 and 2010, ecstasy (also known as “Molly”) use among high school seniors increased 66 percent from the previous 5 years. 7% of students reported in the survey that they had tried the drug during high school,an increase of 92% from just two years before.

Worse yet, many high school students today feel that “off brand,” or lesser quantities of the drug ecstasy, commonly referred to as “Molly,” is actually safe for them in the “Molly” form! Midst teens surveyed, a large quantity recognized little to no mental health consequences from the “Molly” form of the drug while acknowledging on their private surveys that the ecstasy form of the drug could result in a loss of brain functions and even death.

Many high school counselors have attributed this recent and startling rise in ecstasy use with an increasingly popular comeback of “rave” style partying amongst teens. One theory is that the rise in ecstasy use may be a consequence of the growing popularity for teens to attend events with an increasingly popular form of electronic music, commonly entitled “dubstep,” which is than OFTEN accompanied with barrages of lighting effects and hardcore drug use.

Nevertheless Adolescent drug use, as sad as it is becoming, is only one piece of a very larger dilemma facing America’s mental health concerns. Another vital group America will shortly need to confront, that is if this great country is to rise to America’s mental health challenges, are the troops which are currently giving their lives to preserve the American “way of life.”

According to the Associated Press (AP), their have been 154 suicides amidst America’s active-duty troops, just in the first 155 days of this year alone! That means 1 US soldier is committing self induced suicide, caused by anxiety, depression or post-traumatic stress, every single day! To put that number in perspective, that is almost 50% more soldiers than America has lost to casualties in Afghanistan this year (around 100), according to Pentagon statistics. Alarmingly, suicide statistics in the US military have risen almost a full 25% this year, with only 130 suicides at this same time last year!

According to many troops, economic woes at home due to a struggling economy, coupled with issues concerning over extended deployments, have played a role in the increase of tension amongst soldiers. The military has also reported a sharp rise in rape and sexual offenses, as well as misconduct, this year.

America's mental health

In conclusion, America’s mental health is drastically deteriorating. Rising numbers of mentally ill Americans, coupled with rising drug use at the adolescent level, spells out an almost certainly fatal future for America, unless America can bind together and make SERIOUS societal change! Drug use has catapulted itself higher onto America’s main stage than ever before, along with the Hollywood ascent of drinking on TV (Jersey Shore) and party practices, many American’s today simply are funneled into a culture where many times drinking and drugging is “acceptable behavior.”

At the heart of a never ending recession, a lack of retirement funds, budget slashing legislation and record unemployment, America’s mental health may very well simply be an offshoot of the problems Civilians News confronts everyday, problems with America that are incarnated in EVERY AMERICAN HOUSEHOLD!

What can America expect when schools are no longer teaching kids valuable lessons which will benefit them in their future, instead teaching children facts to win a game show while reaping students of 50-100K dollars in federal student loans debt. God bless America.

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In 1933, America’s 1st Great Depression reached an all time paramount midst Washington bureaucrats.

The effects of the original “New Deal” was failing to relieve economically burdened Americans and civilians had grown cumbersome with the federal government through 6 long years of economic withdrawal. Faced with many difficult political decisions about the future of the American economy, decisions which would ultimately alter America’s economic fate forever, sweeping legislation took place that laid the groundwork for stop gaps which were meant to prevent such an economic collapse from EVER occurring again…..

Fannie Mae Corp

It was during that time when Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s much heralded, “Second New Deal,” was struck, an extremely radical and somewhat liberal bill which would ultimately be accredited for ending America’s 1st great recession.

Most American’s know the Second New Deal for its notorious “alphabet programs,” government work programs (some of which still exist today) which at that time made the US government the number 1 employer of Americans, for the first time in US history.

These programs gave ALL AMERICANS the OPPORTUNITY to work in government sponsored job openings, assigned government services and even roadside and environmental cleanups. Because of these programs  over 200,000 trees were planted in America and ultimately the programs proved to be an effective means for the government to pro-actively mend American unemployment concerns.

Nevertheless, this historical expansion of the federal government…. All the way back in 1933, also birthed the very government institutions, which have ironically CAUSED, what is now clear as America’s SECOND GREAT DEPRESSION… TODAY!

Back in 1933, the Second New Deal had 3 major goals and one of the most important goals was to increase Americans access to mortgages, which then could be used to purchase a home or property. It was at this CRITICAL POINT IN US HISTORY, that the Federal Government itself created the FNMA or Federal National Mortgage Association, a corporation which is known to investors on Wall Street today simply as “Fannie Mae.”

Fannie Mae was originally known by the acronym FNMA, created in 1938 for the sole purpose of “bolstering” America’s secondary mortgage market and subsidizing American homes. Essentially FNMA originated as an agency in charge of insuring private equity firms on Wall Street, in order to free up American assets and improve economic liquidity. At that time FNMA was controlled solely by the US Government and was essentially used as a government tool for strengthening America’s savings and loans markets, through government backed securities and the government purchases of privately owned loan and mortgage assets.

Fannie Mae Economy

Through the next 6 decades the use of this government sponsored “FNMA” program was a topic of great debate in Washington. After overhauls of the program in the 1960′s, today FNMA is a mere reflection of what it once was.

FNMA broke away from federal government control in 1968 due to budgeting concerns, when the agency became a privately owned corporate entity, while MAINTAINING GSE status as a “Government Sponsored Entity Corporation.” During the initial breakaway, the US government held onto core assets of Fannie Mae, while selling publicly traded stock, making the company a GSE, or government sponsored entity, that was free to also act within the free market?!?!?! Government Sponsored Entity corporations (GSE’s) within the free market, have since had a very cruel and ironic role in the American economy and according to many modern authors, these GSE companies like Fannie Mae, are in many ways single handedly responsible for America’s economic meltdown today!

In the recent book, “All The Devils Are Here,” by Bethany McLean and Joe Nocera, one time employees of Fannie Mae paint a very colorful picture of the Government Sponsored Financial Entity. In the recent novel, the authors log the events leading up to the 2008 savings and loans crisis, depicting what can be considered nothing short of an all out breakdown of government control and criminal punishment within Wall Street private equity firms under GSE status. This meltdown of priorities stems predominantly from a conflict of interest within the US GOVERNMENT, whereby many executives of such GSE enterprises have come to their position with STRONG WASHINGTON TIES, allowing such companies to elude criminal persecution, all the while stealing BILLIONS of American dollars, RIGHT ON WALL STREET!

After careful study of the 2008 savings and loans crisis, it has been found that Fannie Mae executives took part in egregious manipulations of both the NY stock exchange and the American housing markets leading up to the 2007 financial meltdown. Worse yet, this was WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY KNOWING that Fannie Mae would inevitably force the US Federal government to react with a CORPORATE BAILOUT for executives who still remained very close with current politicians.

This allowed executives at Fanny Mae to get away with lying about assets and selling toxic assets to investors, all the while backing up toxic secondary mortgage debts with government securities and consequentially driving Fannie Mae into bankruptcy. Chronicled by the book, “All The Devils Are Here,” Fannie Mae executives were essentially caught conducting economically detrimental business practices in the secondary mortgage market, business practices which CREATED the current American recession.

In conclusion, FNMA, now Fannie Mae, was originally created to HELP the American economy by BOLSTERING HOME OWNERSHIP and subsidizing part of the American housing market in 1938, as part of the Second New Deal. However in one of histories cruel ironies, the FNMA agency created by the first Great Depression in order to prevent such a catastrophe, has essentially PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE IN CREATING AMERICA’s SECOND GREAT DEPRESSION!

Today, the government backed Fannie Mae is essentially a large part of the very anchor responsible for America’s Second Great Depression, an ironic and bitter tale of economic malfeasance and government inadequacy.

In “All The Devils Are Here” it was discovered that not only did Fannie Mae executives squander billions of dollars in government backed subsidies, but also did so WHILE LIVING LIVES OF UTTER ECONOMIC EXUBERANCE. Chronicled in the book are economic travesties, where essentially government goons, lobbying all the way to the highest rung, enjoyed lives of luxury, including private planes and Christmas bonuses, while fleecing Congress of billions of dollars. Worse yet, Fannie Mae executives also acted with disregard for the free market of private financial equity firms affected by their business operations, an alleged common occurrence within GSE corporations like Fannie Mae.

Despite private executives from Fannie Mae accruing billions and billions of dollars from numerous unethical lending practices, (many of whom have net worths of well over 100 million dollars today) companies under such GSE (Government Supported Entity) status, have until now had free reign to conduct business in this way without facing criminal penalty! Worse yet, Fannie Mae executives have been chronicled committing economic atrocities, RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE PUBLIC EYE and with the knowledge of their misdeeds in public forums! Despite such wrongdoings, connections to Fannie Mae go all the way up the government ladder and into the Securities and Exchange Commission or the SEC, IN CHARGE OF REGULATING FANNIE MAE! For this reason, many of the criminal executives at Fannie Mae today have not been charged with criminal offenses thus far, despite stealing exacerbating amounts of money!

This is nothing short of an economically dire conflict of interest that most Americans can simply no longer afford to support!

That is WHY CIVILIANS NEWS URGES EVERYONE TO SUPPORT OCCUPY WALL STREET AND HELP PUT AN END TO SUCH ECONOMIC CONFLICTS OF INTERESTS BY SHINING A BRIGHTER LIGHT ON SUCH ATROCITY.

ECONOMIC MALFEASANCE, GREED AND CONFLICTS OF INTERESTS THAT GO ALL THE WAY UP THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, CANNOT BE TOLERATED!

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obamacare-kennedy

Civilians News wrote a solid story on the Supreme Court and ObamaCare in a prerequisite article to the ObamaCare hearings in March.

That article can be found here (http://civiliansnews.com/2012/01/08/future-obamacare-the-affordable-care-act/). Leading up to the March 26th hearing, a hearing to ultimately decide the fate of ObamaCare, many questions were on the table, some of which have been answered since then.

Many journalists are still speculating whether it was Justices Kennedy’s intent to find re-assurance for supporting ObamaCare, or reasoning for rejecting the bill, during his onslaught of questioning towards lawmakers during the hearing in March. In the end consensus FELT, as though Justice Kennedy was LEANING FOR, supporting the bill, which would inevitably give the government a very new and “sacred” power, healthcare taxation.

Specifically, the ObamaCare decision hinged upon whether a mandate requiring citizens to pay a 180$ yearly healthcare fee (minimum), could be made legally MANDATORY, with absconders punished through government fines. In return for the annual fees, which would vary depending upon individual income brackets, an additional 50 million Americans could then be covered under the new healthcare system (hence the name ObamaCare).

Supporters of the new provisions point out that these 50 million uninsured Americans are ALREADY a part of the health care system, in that Emergency rooms are currently unable to prevent health care anyways… This case makes the ObamaCare decision a “no brainer” for most liberal parties. However, before jumping to a conclusion Civilians News wants to first point out that the decision is much more far reaching than simply aiding the needs of the millions of Americans which are currently and sadly, uninsured.

To play devils advocate, if all Americans belonged to the healthcare system, what would then prevent homeless Americans who are in say, sub freezing temperatures, from seeking shelter in their local hospital? Surely these people would in this instance be in need of healthcare, would they not? Think of the truly unhealthy Americans, who would now be covered under such a system. While surely many Conservatives (and insurance companies) detest the thought of preventative care for the homeless, the idea in essence is a step forward for humanity and perhaps human kind in general.

Now also take into consideration the burdens of unhealthy Americans, on a system which we ALL would essentially be footing the bill for. Would it make sense to increase healthcare costs to cover issues such as obesity, or would it be cheaper to make laws banning things like salt and cholesterol? These effects on the free market may in time vary, if in fact ObamaCare is passed this Summer. This point was especially important to Chief Justice Anthony Kennedy during questioning of the proposal in March as well.

During questioning Justice Kennedy seeked what many hypothesize was “reassurance for his wavering support,” when he anxiously asked whether preventative measures would be taken in the bill to quote; “Not force Americans to eat more broccoli.”

Lawmakers assured Justice Kennedy at the March hearing, that in fact such a provision would be created. By Kennedy’s tone many assume this was a make or break question, specifically asked to help Justice Kennedy decide ObamaCare’s final ruling.

This questioning also foreshadows the free market circumstances that Civilians News wants to also take a moment to consider in the ObamaCare bill. Depending upon the ultimate execution of the bill, ultimately a situation may occur where it becomes more economically efficient to support basic health concerns of both homeless and poverty stricken Americans, who otherwise might incur greater liabilities through illness and undernourishment upon the new health care system. To be clear, it may become CHEAPER or more economically efficient for ALL Americans healthcare costs, to start housing and feeding the homeless, as opposed to continually paying their re-occurring healthcare costs.

Surely the thought of such a system resembles socialism, an argument the opposition has been quick to make and an opposition ObamaCare supporters find utterly FOOLISH. The fact of the matter is the health care industry is ALREADY SOCIALIST, in essence, mainly due to the fact that hospitals CANNOT turn down patients at the door, even if they are unable to pay for rendered services. This tragic comedy of free market economics is also currently collapsing the American economy as well. Recent rises in healthcare costs due to pay defaults, accompanied by rising insurance costs, has already made the free market health care system obsolete, making America the 18th ranked provider of health services in the world.

This leads to another facet of the individual mandate which is very intriguing, why is COST PROTECTION, not a more central focus of ObamaCare. While ObamaCare has worked steadfastly in attempting to create a new system, what many journalists have overlooked thus far is that cost caps, have not yet become an issue, or even a requirement of ObamaCare.

To be clear, often procedures today have been JACKED UP in price, due to the rising number of defaults, or people not paying for services rendered. Due to unruly costs, that the health care industry claims are necessary to recoup these defaults, a large majority of Americans lose most of their money at the end of their lives today. This is because many Americans are stuck paying in excess of hundreds of thousands of dollars for life saving care or debilitating illness’ later in life.

Without cost fixing, or cost caps, health providers have been essentially free to continually raise prices however they see fit for these life saving procedures. This creates a circumstance where a socialized system is essentially giving those “free market costs” to ALL Americans, making those in control of those costs, in control of all Americans future health services costs.

In conclusion, Civilians News believes that support for the ObamaCare decision does much more good, than harm, for America, as well as works to benefit MOST Americans.

In the wake of this new government power however, a mandated health care fee, Americans must fear the potential costs and free market side effects of such a measure. Thoughts on preventive services or health “restrictions” should also be thoroughly considered by ALL Americans before jumping for or against ObamaCare, as well as the bill’s inevitable treatment for the homeless.

Also cost caps for preventative care should also be considered in future renditions of the bill and also made as a provision of the final bill, as not to allow the health care industry to than hold the American people’s wallets ransom! Also before blindly supporting yet another government tax, Americans should also weigh the gravity of excessive fees and the necessity to keep punishment low, in the case of America’s poverty stricken, who already have difficulty in paying into the system.

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5 months ago, police flagrantly saturated California students with pepper spray, during a PEACEFUL, Occupy Wall Street protest!

Occupy Wall Street Protester's Freedom To Assemble

America has stood silent for too long, as the US government has gone about sweeping the Occupy Wall Street movement under the rug, not coincidentally in time for yet another “pivotal” presidential election season; pitting 2 politicians who quite frankly do not represent most American’s economic realities. Occupy Wall Street protesters chanted this week in NYC; “this is what democracy looks like,” a clever play to the fact that civilians gathering to display government dissatisfaction is at the core of FREEDOM itself, in REALITY, a place that sadly many Americans choose not to live.

The battle of the 99.999%, the battle of Americans who are struggling economically and institutionally, continues, despite generations of hard working Americans doing their part to build this great country, decade after decade…

That is why Occupy Wall Street has been re-ignited this week, despite setbacks and instigation this Winter, particularly on behalf of the mainstream media. Deceptive, disgraceful and demeaning tactics of the media, through rigid propaganda and blasphemy, have played into the dorment reality of Occupy Wall Street this winter, but as the Spring begins, the Occupy Wall Street movement may have just begun!

Today, in NY, Occupy Wall Street leaders are holding an assembly at the steps of the Federal Hall Memorial Building, the very birthplace of America’s Bill of Rights…

Yesterday, more Occupy Wall Street protests occurred in Detroit, working in unison with Occupy Wall Street groups in NYC, which have seemingly remained “dorment” through the cold winter months and launched into FULL FORCE this Spring….

The News today in Detroit read;

“Thousands of protesters descended on the General Electric shareholders meeting in Detroit for the second day, including members of Occupy Detroit, unions, and activists from 99% Power, a new coalition of labor, immigrant, and community groups. On Tuesday, protesters successfully disrupted GE CEO Jeff Immelt’s speech to demand GE pay the over $26 billion in back taxes they owed. Today, as protesters massed outside, large numbers of shareholders sympathetic to Occupy chanted ¨pay your fair share¨ inside the meeting itself. Today’s action in Detroit comes afteryesterday’s shutdown of a Wells Fargo shareholder meeting by at least 2,000 activists from Occupy San Francisco and 99% Power. This upswing in action can mean only one thing: May Day is coming.”

So what is “May Day?” OccupyWallStreet.org says the re-emergence of the groups cause is coming full circle May 1st, to commemorate the history of a holidday marked by labor struggles. According to the Official Occupy Wall Street website;

“On May 1st workers, students, immigrants, and the unemployed from over 120 U.S. cities will stand together for economic justice. On Saturday, April 28ththe protests will commence starting at Bryant Park, where Occupy Wall Street protesters will parade through mid- town to get the word out about a “General Strike.” Then from 2pm in Union Sq., OWS will prepare for “May Day” with teach-ins and skill shares including; Non violent direct action training, Street medical training, Know your rights: demonstrating in NYC, Safe protesting for families w/ Parents for OWS, “Livestreaming for dummies,” Social media teach-in by OWS, May Day arts demos and a course on the History of May Day & General Strikes.”

Notice the word “General Strike” is used many times in these calls to action, from the hub of Occupy Wall Street, in NYC. This hints that perhaps boycotts and strikes, will be used more during this years Occupy Wall Street campaign. Boycotts may seem reminiscent of Civil Rights struggles and other public outcries and may prove very effective this Spring, showing the cleverness and immediacy of the Occupy movement in 2012.

Beginning on “May Day,” (#MayDay) a day of historical labor significance, America will begin yet another series of government protests centered around the American economy. It is time America fights back! Join the Occupy Wall Street Movement and help spread the word that Americans are sick and tired of getting pushed around economically, while a select few, approximately .0001% of Americans, control a vast majority of America’s vast wealth!

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-William Larsen