A Facebook reader asked me to look at a video that showed actor Jon Voigt calling out President Obama for using "Alinsky Tactics". My Facebook reader asked me just who he was, what were the tactics and was Voigt telling the truth? And, of course, does Obama's administration or party use brainwashing techniques "on the public"?
What Earl didn't ask for on my Profile was if Jon Voigt causes me to feel a bit unsettled! (He does!)
Jon Voigt is certainly an outspoken actor and you may or may not agree with him, but let's look at the facts behind what he's talking about and what mind control tactics are happening or not...and how...and where... they came from. If you're looking for an indictment or vindication of The President, you won't find it here.
To understand Barack Obama, one needs to consider his thinking and to consider one's thinking, you must consider one's "sources". In other words, who influences the subject?
Obama went to college in the early 80's. He was part of a Marxist group on campus, as noted recently in the media by the leader of that group, now residing in California.
Though interesting, that is only one thread of thinking that he experienced 25 years ago. The question then becomes, "is the subject ideologically connected to those ideas?" I think in the case of the President, most liberals would happily and proudly tell you that he does indeed manifest that philosophy.
Marxism in one paragraph...the notion that society's rich control society. The rich underpay those who produce goods and services, thereby enriching themselves and taking from those who worked to generate the production in the first place. "Marxism" then is about generating revolution to redistribute wealth evenly among all people. (Don't bother emailing, Marxism is more complex than that, but this is an article, not an encyclopedia.)
There was a time when this analysis of the human condition could be argued. That is not the case in the 21st century. To be sure, many of the rich are well connected with those who govern, say, the United States. But to make a blanket statement would be irresponsible and absolutely inaccurate.
Further, Marx didn't run a business. He never learned of the risk that one takes when they start a business and thus the woman who employs another woman is *not* deserving of 50% of the profit generated by her employee. The employee took zero risk and simply *asked for a job." The person at risk could have struggled for a decade with no compensation for their reserach, study, creating a product or service. The notion of risk is seldom understood by the employee because all the employee sees is a set of tasks and a paycheck. The person who gives the paycheck to the second woman had investments of time and money long before that paycheck was ever written.
That is a core problem of those who only go to school and "get a job." They see the world through a myopic lens. They didn't work for free for the woman who never got her business off the ground, or for the woman who went broke three times starting her business or the woman who lost her home because she mortgaged it to run a business, or was taxed by a government that did nothing to earn the taxes from the person who produced the income through personal risk.
The employee gets paid weekly. The small business woman gets paid when there is money left after paying everyone else...if there is money left over.
President Obama didn't run a small business, and therefore, sees life through the lens of someone who is given a job and gets paid to do it. No risk involved.
Marxism in the 21st century is utterly naive and the notion that all would be well if wealth were distributed evenly simply doesn't pan out to be true.
That President Obama manifests the Marxist philosophy is certainly true in every action he has initiated in his political career.
This does not make him a bad person, simply a myopic thinker.
Just who was Saul Alinsky and what were his most effective (and frightening) tactics?...
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