Thursday, November 06, 2008

INTERREGNUM

Reflections on an Obama Landslide and the Path Ahead

by Michael C. Ruppert
((c) Copyright 2008. All rights reserved. Michael C. Ruppert - Please distribute widely.)


Nov. 5, 2008 (Los Angeles) – The American People were freed last night. Not only were they liberated; they were united again. For the first time in many years we, and the nation we live in, were on the same piece of sheet music and in the same key. And for the first time in eight horror-filled years (maybe longer) it sounded like the Star Spangled Banner.

It was the enormity of the landslide that spoke loudest and broke the clouds. All of a sudden the paradigm shift underway on many levels became visible, palpable, and real. Everything crystallized as I watched – gasping through mucous-laden tears – John McCain concede defeat. What did I see as CNN's camera focused on the loyalists at his headquarters? I saw nothing but wealthy, "blingy" whites; well-dressed, some holding wine glasses, getting the notice that the slaves had just revolted during their formal ball. What did I see in Chicago? I saw every race and religion imaginable, standing side-by-side, arm-in-arm, grinning, cheering, crying, hugging. I saw their unmistakable tears well with unbearable gratitude through tired eyes; liberated from souls that had just witnessed a miracle. I saw hope.

I saw Americans all in Chicago, and nothing but Americans. I saw not a trace of ethnic-self consciousness anywhere in that crowd. This is what America is now and we are strong because of that diversity. We proved it. I am a white male. But if I were to walk down the street in Brooklyn Heights tomorrow I could see maybe 20 nationalities in one block. Today, and from here on out, every one of them will feel and know that they are as good as any other American, as any white man. There will be a contagious light in their eyes. Their spirits will be lifted and the price that they paid to get here and become citizens or green card holders will look cheap. Because we know that we are equals now we need no longer even subtly fear each other. We can count on each other; the barriers between us dissolved.

In Arizona I saw a dying class, naked before the world. I saw a Republican Party stripped down to its soul and revealed for what is atits core: rich, reactionary, Southern white people. The Republican Party is dead. It cannot and will not reform, regroup, redefine and re-emerge. The Republican Party is the party of business, and class, and privilege. We still don't know whether Ted Stevens won in Alaska, but if the old fool tries to take his seat he will be forcibly expelled from the Senate just as soon as he is led away in handcuffs to serve his prison sentence. This country and the overwhelmingly Democratic Senate will be disinclined to show him mercy and that will be the final ignominy for the Republicans.

That was only one of many reasons to cheer. The Christian right has been demolished as a political base, perhaps forever. They way they performed for their candidate makes an endorsement from them now a political kiss of death. Latino Americans showed true class and honor– not to mention self interest – by deserting the Republicans en masse.

There will be no economic recovery. There is a part of me that believes that Bush and the Neocons know this and have for at least a decade. But at least we have claimed a sense of unity, of a shared fate. The Neocons have worked so hard to leave Barack Obama with a mortally-wounded corpse. I shudder at what they might destroy in the next seventy days. Just a day after Barack Obama's victory Russia announced that it was moving missiles near the Polish border and sharply attacked the U.S. That message was clear; "Hey America, before you go and spruce up your image around the world, you deal with Russia first and what you have done to us since the mid-1990s. Soon we will be co-equal (former) superpowers but we will still be the biggest kids on the block. We will both still have almost all the nuclear weapons there are."

On a day when one might expect a Dow rally in celebration of regime change it dropped almost 500 points. As I explained to my agent and friend Ken Levine, "If Obama's election would have been good for a 300-point rally, then what happened today was really an 800-point drop."

Peak Oil is here and -- in case no one noticed -- a day before the election "The Financial Times" – reading from a leaked copy of a new International Energy Agency report, disclosed that the global decline rate for oil production has been recalculated at 9.1% per year, up from 5.8% less than a year ago. Put simply that means that if we produced 85 million barrels per day in 2008 then, no matter what, we be able to produce – under the best of conditions – no more than 77.5 million barrels per day in 2009.

Since the worst of the economic collapse has yet to arrive, there will be no possibility of any kind of economic recovery. There is a 96% correlation between greenhouse gas emission (i.e. burning more oil) and GDP growth. Already, projects to drill-for and produce the more expensive offshore, remote and small-pocket oil are shutting down. Too expensive with oil prices falling. Investment in renewable energy is also shutting down. That collapse is now locked-in is one of the safest predictions I have ever made. It's just simple math now. There is no coming back.

Now I have not lost my mind or my basic understanding of the world. Barack Obama is not a Messiah and I have not become Pollyanna. What was set free that makes all the difference, however, was us -- and we are the ones who most needed liberation to meet what lies ahead. Now we can meet it as a nation. While those in Chicago felt their souls expand in true liberty, the Republican reactionaries had to stand in front of the camera and swallow hard to realize that they are just Americans too, like the rest of us. "OK you privileged, wealthy, reactionary, criminal, white Southerners, it's your Constitution too, now obey it and shut up. In the last eight years you raped that Constitution. You took away parts of the 1st, 4th, 5th, 6th and 8th Amendments. But you could not kill its heart."

And that is why the landslide was so important. Any attempt to take that election away, that moment in the sun, would have provoked an instant and bloody revolution. That is why I am also certain that President-elect Obama will be inaugurated in January.

We all have to honor the Constitution; that magnificent document framed so long ago by some real God-inspired men. The government of, by, and for the People was returned to them last night. And even if that is not completely true -- even in the Neolibs try to proceed in furtherance of an overarching agenda as co-conspiratorial protectors of a dead paradigm – what matters is that the People have regained a sense of their own God-given power. They have seen that they can do something. Nothing will be more important as we continue into the darkness and tests of collapse. We the People will respond together. And while the Neocon architects who planned and executed the last eight years may chuckle at the thought of leaving a black man as their janitor, they have completely overlooked the Power of the People whom they have held in such bitter contempt for so long.

All of that was vouched safe last night.

In 1998, I was asked to speak at a rally at Santa Monica City College for the Crack the CIA Coalition. Comedian Dick Gregory was the lead speaker and moderator. He made me sit on stage beside him for the whole event. He was that proud of my confrontation with CIA Director John Deutch. When he called me up to speak I said something that turned out to be prophetic. I said that if African Americans were to truly save themselves from injustice, they would have to save all of us white folk in the process or they would never get what they wanted. Is that not exactly what happened last night? Dick Gregory and I became good friends. A few months later he called me his "white son"on Joe Maddison's radio show on WOLB in Baltimore.

I think almost all of America cried last night. I have heard many on TV describe it the same way that I experienced it. At that moment in time when CNN, or CBS, or ABC all said, "It's over. It's done. Barack Obama has won the presidency of the United States," the trap-door opened and a sense of relief more profound than I could have imagined exploded out of me. I am still not the same twenty-four hours later.

After learning that Bush had called Obama to congratulate him and listening to an amazing speech from our President-elect, I crawled to the bed and collapsed in sleep, taking only my shoes off. The Bush-Cheney years have been particularly and personally hard for me. I awoke this morning not knowing who I really was.

Know this: as it was with a young JFK who was quickly surrounded by advisers who later betrayed him, this time there will be those who remember those tricks and will work to thwart them. Know that for the first time in decades I am truly proud to be an American because of what I saw last night. Know that in the days and years ahead, last night liberated and energized the best qualities in us and that is the one renewable resource that we have most needed to set free. We are one nation of many peoples. We are a nation where all men and women are endowed equally with unalienable rights. Know that we can now find a way to harness and use that particular power that is so uniquely American.

Our struggle now is to save human civilization. As it was when this nation was founded, under that magnificent, self-correcting document, it is my prayer that -- as it was in 1776 -- the hopes and dreams of mankind will all look to this amazing place to see what mankind can do with a freedom that is real; with a freedom that we will fight to protect.

Yes we can.

Yes we can.
************************************************************************************

MCR wrote:

I am more convinced than ever that the opening barrage of the collapse in September was mild compared to what's coming -- and soon. The automakers are crumbling and the slowdown is paralyzing everything. Meantime the derivatives bubble has only deflated by about 5%. At Reuters, MarketWatch, Bloomberg and elsewhere the heavyweights are all saying the same thing: "The worst is yet to come." Wait for Citigroup.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/02/AR2008110202150.html?hpid%3Dtopnews&sub=AR


JO wrote:

Quote of the Day:

"The Dow is a dead banana republic dictator in full military uniform propped up in the castle window with a mechanical lever moving the cadaver’s arm, waving to the Wall Street crowd.”

Michael Bolser, Le Metropole Cafe

From the "Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not following you" department

Federal Court Allows Bush Administration to Withhold Records Detailing Torture and Abuse of Guantanamo Prisoners
Buffett's MidAmerican has Constellation Anti-Trust OK
Paulson's Swindle Revealed
Effectiveness of AIG's $143 Billion Rescue Questioned

John Olagues:
View from the equally grim other side of the coin; hyperdeflation instead of hyperinflation, for instance
Peak Cops
The Solar Energy Equivalent of Soylent Oil
National Security Sprawl
End of California

“Changing The Globe” Presents:

“The End of Suburbia: Oil Depletion and The Collapse of The American Dream”

Monday, December 1st, 12:30-2:00pm
In Student Services Lobby, Campus Center East
At Chaffey College, Rancho Cucamonga Campus
Includes brief introduction and Q & A session after the film

17 comments:

wxdude714 said...

Thanks Mike,

The amount of energy, time and dedication over the past 8 years to rid PNAC from it's power in the United States has come from hundreds of people that first saw the light and then spread the word. One of the toughest challenges in life is to conqueor a mob with emotional attachments tied "dis-information."
The stock market fall was not a surprise to me as I posted Friday Night. The Republicans have an entire audience that is emotionally wounded and open to any idea that shows a failure by Obama. My assessment was that the war for the 2012 Presidency started two weeks ago as the PPT began to push up stock prices.
I kinda sit back and laugh as the Russians move missiles closer to the Polish boarder. This is nothing more than to put the fear of God into the Conservative Right in the United States. It's the same fear of God that their PNAC leaders have instilled in the world over the past 8 years. I know from first hand experience that there are two things that matter in warfare between superpowers. Weather modification and Nuclear Missles. It's possible through weather modification to modify a storm over Northwestern China and have a Katrina hit New Orleans. Everything else is just small potatoes. Many thanks for the past 6yrs that you've been in my life.

Paul

Jenna Orkin said...

an interesting comment came in but it cannot be posted in its current state. if the writer would like to rework it sans the over-the-top vituperation, it'll go up.

Jenna Orkin said...

an interesting comment came in but it cannot be posted in its current state. if the writer would like to rework it sans the over-the-top vituperation, it'll go up.

bluesmiley said...

"...the global decline rate for oil production has been recalculated at 9.1% per year, up from 5.8% less than a year ago. Put simply that means that if we produced 85 million barrels per day in 2008 then, no matter what, we be able to produce – under the best of conditions – no more than 77.5 million barrels per day in 2009."

I was under the impression from the leaked statement that the decline rate is for the top 400 fields, not overall... so hypothetically there could be an increase in a lot more smaller fields to at least partially offset the ~9% decrease...

...now how much is offset remains to be seen. And with the volatility in oil prices, new investment is certainly being discouraged, so it could be that we're having a 9% depletion rate overall, but I don't know if it can be definitely determined.

ES355GIBSON said...

One of the most brilliant write up's I have ever seen about the current state of affairs!

Way to go MCR!

I guess your target practice last weekend paid off!

WAY TO GO!

Unknown said...

Mike,

I’m kind of surprised how many positives things you have to say about the Obama movement lately considering that he’s fronting for Zbigniew Brzezinski. I’m not making any value judgments on you, just expressing some surprise. I’m more on agreement with Webster Tarpley on this one. I think Obama is a puppet of the worst kind and that most of America has been so blinded by their hatred of Bush that they’ve once again been sucked in by a great evil. Curious to hear your take on Webster Tarpley’s recent work on Obama. The guy has just banged out 2 books on him and is dropping constant youtube videos worth watching.

Thanks.

Take care –

Mike

gaelicgirl said...

Bravo, Mike!!!

pamela said...

Mike, that was so beautifully said.
I wept Tuesday night and it felt so good. What a terrible burden lifted. Now we can get on with the business of working through the coming collapse as a united hopeful people.
Thank God.

NB Patton said...

Hmmm,
I hesitate to say this because of the extremely high pedestal I personally hold MCR upon, but I didn't have his reaction at all. Everybody's experience is different I suppose, and this administration didn't try to kill me and run me out of the country so that might have something to do with it! Although I did almost bite it a couple times in the military... In FUBAR, PNAC created situations (circa 2004-2005), Huh,... never thought of it that way actually.

But I digress, I think ultimately he (Obama) resembles the same old paradigm that has been in power since at least 1913. And any extreme emotional reaction of happiness to electing Obama over McCain to me, is being naive of what Obama really stands for. I'm sure you guys are going to take a dump on me for this but screw it, I feel it begs to be said. And if I'm way off, It wouldn't be the first time I tasted shoe leather.

While its silly to ignore the historic and empowering fact of electing someone other than a rich white man to our highest office. I think its equally silly to consider ourselves liberated by him. I think he is merely another sugar coated puppet helping to perpetuate the same fractional reserve, money = debt system that has the entire world in its evil grasp.
(Unless you only meant the mental and emotional liberation of minorities from the oppressive subconscious understanding that they are second class citizens because they could never be president. Then I agree.)

The day I cry for a presidential election will also be the eve of demise for the Federal Reserve Bank and the fractional reserve system for which it stands. That and the abolishing of many other unconstitutional departments, agencies and policies.

My concern with Obama is gun control. I have read his past votes, quotes and views, and I have heard the relative good things he has said on the campaign trail and I am a bit worried. Google it!

And with that said,... I do feel the hope. I have such immense hope that he proves my worries wrong.

Unknown said...

“Any attempt to take that election away, that moment in the sun, would have provoked an instant and bloody revolution. That is why I am also certain that President-elect Obama will be inaugurated in January.”

I have to disagree with you on that statement. I think this election like the last 2 before it was rigged, but this time in favor of the other canadiate, the one fronting for Zbigniew Brzezinski, David Rockefeller, Trilateral Commission, and all things related. It’s kind of obvious that Obama is the chosen one of the ruling elite, Wall Street has been poring 5 times more money into him that McCain and all you have to do is watch TV for 10 minutes to know that he’s the major media’s candidate. This is the guy who voted for FISA, he voted to RENEW the Patriot Act on March 2nd, 2006 and he was one of the main cheerleaders for the bailout, even getting several people to switch their votes. When you look at how this Obama votes, he’s on the same page as Bush and McCain, but without anywhere near the same level of criticism. I think he’s going to be far, far, worse than Bush and I’m kind of shocked to see how many people have fallen for the Obama scam.

Craigar said...

The Christian right has been demolished as a political base, perhaps forever

Michael, Are you crazy? The only way the Christian Right will not be a political force is when they have been raptured away! I'm sure that's a day that many of your readers hope for to get rid of us for good!

Popular vote 52% to 46%
6 states could have changed the outcome with only a swing of 597,000 total votes! I think you've had too much Kool-Aid to think that this was a landslide. I will grant to you that it was a strong win, even a mandate, but not a landslide.

How does this translate into the Christian right being demolished as a Political base? You've failed to notice that even with all of Hollywood fighting Prop 8 in of all places, left handed California, the Christian Right won! (most likely a temporary victory) The nay-sayers even had on their side a Republican Governor. It only proves that the Christian Right's Clout is still as strong as some fear! Without them, this truly would have been a Presidential landslide. The choice of Palin was the only reason they bothered to show up. My pick was Ron Paul, but I voted for McCain BECAUSE of Palin. If you want to hear my reasoning in detail, I'd be happy to elaborate with another post.

If you take away the G.W. Bush effect, you would have 4 more years of Republican Rule. The pendulum is at it's farthest point to the left, that swing is so far over that it's return will be swift and forceful, the Democrats' control will last no more than 2 years, mark my words. But either way, we will be no better off. Our future is assured.

The Christian Right should establish it's own party. Why should they continue to be pandered to as the Republican party continues on it's path towards it's Centrist position. It's time they (Christian Right) state who they are and why, and even though they will lose every time, they won't be associated with the likes of G.W. Bush or Dick Cheney. Oh, for your readers who don't know, a Christian Right Party is simply a party that holds to the tenets of Biblical Ethics and Morality, no more, no less. Simply put, the same tenets that have been a part of our country for most of its' 232 year history. A platform that freed the slaves, a platform that protects innocent life. It's not a platform of weirdness, but yes there are some weirdos associated with us (as in any party).

The reason I came to this website today in the first place (first time visitor), is that I thought (based on my Google search) you were someone who believes in both parties being basically the same (bought and paid for). But you really believe that Obama is different than Bush or McCain??.. Sad, they ARE the same.

Obama is hand picked (duh... Harvard!) and will lead us in the exact same direction that Bush has been leading us. One World economic government and therefore a One World Government in general. Watch the November 15th IMF meeting if you doubt me. That is the day (or soon thereafter) that begins the end of the Dollar. Obama will agree with whatever happens. And very soon you will hear: "No one will be able to buy or sell unless he has the mark!" The world currency will be electronic (not the US DOLLAR) and eventually everyone will be electronically connected somehow through a "mark" or device that's used as an electronic scanning or transaction facilitator. Possibly some kind of implanted chip, who knows?

Call me crazy, but hey if anyone knows what it feels like to be called crazy it must be you. I'm happy to fill your shoes for a bit.
Signed.... no tears in my eyes, poor and once a Republican.

PS... Interregnum??? Don't count on it. The worst of G.W. may be during the next few weeks! Hardly a pause between governments... The only interregnum will be as Bush opens the door to leave and Obama closes it behind him.

Rice Farmer said...

The strange case of falling international reserves

http://www.financialsense.com/editorials/salinasprice/2008/1106.html

D! said...

Is it entirely deflating for one to say that the inauguration may be just bit more important than the election?

And Mike, what makes you think that Obama has a grasp of the dire realities? Or that his controllers (and let's be honest - he came out of nowhere with deep pockets, just a bit suspect no?) are interested in an "American Revival"? If it is, I fear that it is to only bleed this country even worse under the guise of "progress" or "change" if you prefer.

Obama was selected, and it wasn't "by the people." We all know that presidential candidates are not a grassroots phenomena. Why delude ourselves?

I am not in favor of McCain by any means - I have just flat out lost faith in our system. This IS the same country that elected Bush (whether it was once or twice is moot - it happened and by a greater margin AFTER he f*cked everything up and WE KNEW IT). It was not a "landslide" in the popular vote - it was clear, but not a blowout.

I remain skeptical until PROOF (you like to see that stuff too, right mike?) that he will effect a positive change is revealed.

I ask that everyone remain calm and reasonable. Don't let the psychological and emotional relief of DickBush leaving cloud your senses.

Obama has a lot to prove and to "change". We as a people should DEMAND it without regret. With a Democratic monopoly in D.C. there are no reasons why he should fall short of expectations.

Raymond said...

Thanks Mike - i've missed your writing. Enjoy this moment. You deserve it.
From your friends in Australia - we're all from Illinois now.

Unknown said...

Good day to you Mr. Ruppert,

In January 2005, I bought a copy of Crossing the Rubicon and have recommended it to everyone I know since then. I can not thank you enough for your work on 9/11 and Peak Oil. Crossing the Rubicon, in conjunction with the work of Nafeez Ahmed, are the publications I hold high when discussing the subject with friends and family.

I also continue to follow your blog and see that this is all in your blood; in that, despite your claims to the contrary, you can't stay away from all this and continue to comment on it. And we are all better for sharing your input.

With all that said, I feel the need to comment on this latest blog entry...

I, too, for a bit, got caught up in Obamarama and what it symbolizes. And you summarized that well. However, I believe you are mistaken in your analysis that this will unite us.

What I saw was more akin to what I have witnessed in either church service or right after 9/11. This is a unity that will, sadly, but quickly, be forgotten.

Obama ran on a ticket of "Messiah" and many who supported him have just such expectations. But, as you clearly have noted, Peak Oil is a reality. There will be no ground to gain economically. When the people of this country realize that the economy will not recover, that gas and home heating and food prices will continue to rise, I fear they will turn on the Obama Adminstration and feel betrayed.

Despite President-Elect Obama's promises for "Change", the people will still be losing their homes, still be unable to find employment and still be in the same boat as in the Bush years.

What the landslide vote meant to me was that the people want to be saved. And that will not happen.

Government can not save anyone. Government programs never work as expected and I am saddened that Mr. Obama will have to one day admit that what he promised will never come true.

The occupation of Iraq will continue. Other skirmishes will spring up. Food prices will continue to rise. And everything else the Theory of Peak Oil predicts will present themselves.

And as times get tougher, the love we saw shared on Tuesday, November 4th, 2008, will be forgotten and the public will be disappointed.

What I fear now...is what will spring up in 2012 to make promises that they can not keep. And see whether or not our great American public will believe it again.

trevbus said...

As cynical as I am I could not help getting teary-eyed seeing black Americans weeping with joy at Obama's win.

As cynical as I am I think the Obama presidency is better than a McCain presidency (or the much-anticipated Bush-Cheney coup).

Simply because Obama is very intelligent, and worldly, as in, he has a remarkably non-American perspective having grown up in Indonesia of all places.

And there is even a slim chance he will do a 'Putin' or a 'Gorbachev', and cleverly outmaneuver his reptilian backers. Though Putin had an ex-KGB network to help out when he shafted the very oligarchs who backed his rise to power. What does Obama have?

Gorbachev says Obama will bring perestroike to the USA.... perestroika, what was that - last-ditch bargaining by the elites in the face of collapse?

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/11/06/2411529.htm?section=justin

LighthouseRed said...

Cheers to MCR --- He gets it! We are a nation of ideals, and hope. On July 4, 1776, and later on September 17, 1787, the founding fathers had a dream, and they implemented it with blood and courage for posterity. Over two-hundred years later, on Election Day 2008, it is an undeniable fact that posterity proved that dream is still a reality, by a landslide.

Another dream was realized that same day, the dream of Martin Luther King. The outrageous notions set forth in the Constitution and indeed, by Martin Luther King, sprang to life in one historical moment, on November 4, 2008, when Americans proved the impossible dream lives on.

Nevertheless, Obama’s leadership is only as great as the people he leads. If he is to succeed, we need to take personal responsibility for our finances and stop relegating it to the bankers and Wall Street. Everybody knew this economic crisis was coming. We knew about the housing bubble, the inflated stock market, the credit glut, the corporate exploitation, and all the rest of it. And we participated in it. So stop expecting Obama to save us economically. Individually and collectively we can save ourselves. Obama said in his victory speech: “ --- The road ahead will be long, our climb will be steep --- [but] I promise you, we as a people will get there.”

Signed: A Republican who voted for Obama.