The Fourth Coup D'etat (The End)

[Daveparts]

John Hinckley senior split his time between Vanderbilt oil and World Vision a right wing evangelical group also alleged to have had ties with the CIA taking over the abandoned Jonestown camp in Guiana to train Hmong rebels. But was John Hinckley Sr. in the CIA? Probably not, more than likely his company was being used as a front organization he just played along and cashed the checks. But would he knowingly sacrifice his own son?

Or was John Hinckley Jr. a Manchurian candidate? I try to keep my writings to what can be proven or to what can be assumed by a logical deduction. The concept of a deep-programmed individual has been with us since the Korean War and intelligence agencies around the world have spent millions of dollars on research to make it happen. But no one has ever proven a single case of deep programming. Some inside the CIA have said that it has been successfully used around the world. But like a new type of poison it can only be discovered if it is looked for and who looks for it when in every American case where it has been alleged there is always a confession or diary in the assailants own handwriting.

We know John Hinckley Jr. was under psychiatric treatment for depression, we know that he was the unsuccessful namesake of a successful man. We know he was arrested in Tennessee for a firearms violation. It is alleged that he that he was obsessed with Jodie Foster and the then we are told of his obsession with a then 6 year old movie Taxi Driver starring Robert Deniro and Jodie Foster. Deniro’s character Travis Bickle is obsessed with a woman obviously out of his class and he is also obviously seriously deranged. Bickle shoots a teenage prostitute’s (Jodie Foster) pimp after unsuccessfully trying to shoot a congressional candidate. Am I wrong? Do the insane admire the insane was Hinckley thinking to himself I want to be insane just like that guy! The entire underlying ironic plot motive of the movie was that the public lionizes this insane man as a hero because he shot the bad guy rather than the good guy.

But Hinckley is so perfect it is hard to conclusively prove anything about him the FBI still holds 22 pages of documents about him, but the real question here is not why did John Hinckley shoot Reagan but how did John Hinckley shoot Reagan?

I have had the occasion in my life to have seen two Presidents and one Vice President and we have this accepted view that someone could just walk up to see the President. Not so, when living in Montgomery Dutch was coming to speak to the Alabama Legislature the day before the capital building was completely inspected, heat and air duct covers removed all exits checked and locked underground tunnels sealed. For 24 hours the building was locked down until Reagan spoke. When he was finished as he rode to the airport all cross streets were barricaded and manned with armed officers all the way back to the airport.

So how does a man with and arrest record for a firearm violation get close enough to shoot the President? What about his parents? Your son is under psychiatric treatment and was arrested for having a gun and you keep sending him money to do God knows what?
Where were the Secret Service in all this?

Jerry Parr told The Readers Digest the now famous story of the Presidents limo taking off for the hospital. Minutes later the ambulance arrives to treat James Brady as well as the wounded Secret Service Agent and DC policeman they load the men up and take off for George Washington University Hospital arriving 15 minutes before the President. When asked "What happened?" the Secret Service simply responded, "We got lost." If that had happened in Omaha or Baton Rouge Ok, you got lost, but Washington D.C.? You got lost in your hometown with a wounded President in the back seat? Is that a credible story?

So Hinckley is arrested and pleads not guilty by reason of insanity, fortunate indeed that Washington D.C. is one of the few places in the country that accepts such a plea. The prosecutions expert witness Dr. Park Elliott Dietz, describes Hinckley as a disturbed spoiled rich kid pointing out details to explain that Hinckley knew the difference between right and wrong but never arguing whether he was disturbed only whether he was disturbed enough. It’s always easier to score a touchdown when the other team gives you the ball on the 50 yard line. Dietz expert testimony changed the issue from was John Hinckley mentally ill to just how mentally ill was John Hinckley.

The Judge, Barrington Parker instructs the Jury as follows, “The burden of proof in this, as in every other criminal proceeding, is placed upon the prosecution. Every defendant in a criminal proceeding is presumed to be innocent and this presumption of innocence is attached to the defendant throughout the trial until the defendant is proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

An issue is presented in this case concerning the mental condition of the defendant on March 30, 1981, the date of the several offenses alleged in the 13-count indictment. Now, in addition to proving beyond a reasonable doubt the elements of the 13 offenses charged in the indictment, the prosecution also has a burden of proving the defendant’s criminal responsibility beyond a reasonable doubt. If you find that the Government has failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt any one or more of' the essential elements of the offense, you must find the defendant not guilty, and you should not consider any possible verdict relating to the question of criminal responsibility or insanity. If you find the Government has proved each essential element of the offense beyond a reasonable doubt, then you must consider whether to bring in a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity.

Every man is presumed to be sane. That is, to be without mental disease or defect, and to be responsible for his acts. But that presumption no longer controls when evidence is introduced that he may have a mental disease or defect. The term "insanity" does 'not require a showing that the defendant was disoriented at the time or place. "Mental disease or defect" includes any abnormal condition of the mind, regardless of its medical label, which substantially affects mental or emotional processes and substantially impairs his behavior controls.

The burden is on the Government to prove beyond a reasonable doubt either that the defendant was not suffering from a mental disease or defect on March 30, 1981, or else that he nevertheless had substantial capacity on that date both to conform his conduct to the requirements of the law and to appreciate the wrongfulness of his conduct. If the Government has not established this to your satisfaction, beyond a reasonable doubt, then you shall bring a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity.

So with Dietz’s expert testimony and Judge Parkers instructions what choice did the jury have? John is shuffled off to St. Elizabeth's Hospital while the public is outraged as what it sees as Hinckley’s beating the system and getting away with it. In May 2001, Barrington D. Parker was one of the first eleven nominees for appointment to federal appeals courts by President George W. Bush. Apparently the President thought he had done a fine job in the case along with Parkers reputation of being the CIA’s favorite judge having ruled in their favor on several important cases while George Bush had headed the CIA.

George Bush attempted but failed to take the Presidency by one vote his own but it was not without consequences. With the aging Reagan staring into dementia Bush knew the nomination was his and his election almost certain. Yet almost from the beginning of the campaign support among Republicans was tepid perhaps it was that George just paled in comparison to the much beloved Dutch or perhaps it was that they knew George had colored outside the lines. Like Roosevelt a generation before you have to let the conspirators go, what other choice did the Republicans have?

George handily won the election and was on his way to one term obscurity when a bizarrely curious exchange occurred. Saddam Hussein had moved Iraqi troops to the Kuwaiti border in a disagreement over slant drilling and Kuwait’s over production which drove down oil prices making it more difficult for Iraq to repay it’s war debts.

July 25, 1990- Presidential Palace- Baghdad U.S. Ambassador Glaspie – “I have direct instructions from President Bush (one) to improve our relations with Iraq. We have considerable sympathy for your quest for higher oil prices, the immediate cause of your confrontation with Kuwait. (pause) As you know, I lived here for years and admire your extraordinary efforts to rebuild your country. We know you need funds. We understand that, and our opinion is that you should have the opportunity to rebuild your country. (pause) We can see that you have deployed massive numbers of troops in the south. Normally that would be none of our business, but when this happens in the context of your threat s against Kuwait, then it would be reasonable for us to be concerned. For this reason, I have received an instruction to ask you, in the spirit of friendship - not confrontation - regarding your intentions: Why are your troops massed so very close to Kuwait's borders?”

Saddam Hussein – “As you know, for years now I have made every effort to reach a settlement on our dispute with Kuwait. There is to be a meeting in two days; I am prepared to give negotiations only this one more brief chance. (pause) When we (the Iraqis) meet (with the Kuwaitis) and we see there is hope, then nothing will happen. But if we are unable to find a solution, then it will be natural that Iraq will not accept death.”

U.S. Ambassador Glaspie – “What solutions would be acceptable?”

Saddam Hussein – “If we could keep the whole of the Shatt al Arab - our strategic goal in our war with Iran - we will make concessions (to the Kuwaitis). But, if we are forced to choose between keeping half of the Shatt and the whole of Iraq (i.e., in Saddam s view, including Kuwait ) then we will give up all of the Shatt to defend our claims on Kuwait to keep the whole of Iraq in the shape we wish it to be. (pause) What is the United States' opinion on this?”

U.S. Ambassador Glaspie – “We have no opinion on your Arab - Arab conflicts, such as your dispute with Kuwait. Secretary (of State James) Baker has directed me to emphasize the instruction, first given to Iraq in the 1960's, that the Kuwait issue is not associated with America.” (Saddam smiles)

Months later Bush responds, “As I report to you, air attacks are underway against military targets in Iraq. We are determined to knock out Saddam Hussein's nuclear bomb potential. We will also destroy his chemical weapons facilities. Much of Saddam's artillery and tanks will be destroyed. Our operations are designed to best protect the lives of all the coalition forces by targeting Saddam's vast military arsenal. Initial reports from General Schwarzkopf are that our operations are proceeding according to plan.

Our objectives are clear: Saddam Hussein's forces will leave Kuwait. The legitimate government of Kuwait will be restored to its rightful place, and Kuwait will once again be free. Iraq will eventually comply with all relevant United Nations resolutions, and then, when peace is restored, it is our hope that Iraq will live as a peaceful and cooperative member of the family of nations, thus enhancing the security and stability of the Gulf.

Some may ask: Why act now? Why not wait? The answer is clear: The world could wait no longer. Sanctions, though having some effect, showed no signs of accomplishing their objective. Sanctions were tried for well over 5 months, and we and our allies concluded that sanctions alone would not force Saddam from Kuwait.” (George Bush Smiles)

Either Ms. Glaspie, James Baker and George Bush are guilty of the most horrendous foreign policy blunder in history or Saddam got sucker punched. The media is flooded with stories of Iraqi atrocities of babies hurled from incubators and even though the April Glaspie incident comes to light on the BBC in America the story is largely ignored. Bush takes a 90% approval rating and 14 months later loses an election no one thought he could lose.

But much has been accomplished in the 12 years of Reagan Bush Unions have been tamed. As taxes have been cut for the wealthy, Wall Street is unloosed and arbitrage is the watchword. The wolves tear apart profitable companies selling their profitable assets while casting aside the rest like a rind. Pension funds are gutted and used to finance more arbitrage and the media proclaims the new tycoons as captains of industry rather than the maulers of the middle class that they actually were. But it is the same it ever was as Gerald MacGuire had said in 1933

"You know the American people will swallow that. We have got the newspapers.”

The media in a display of sardonic humor at the expense of the American people had called it the Regan revolution and it was a revolution. Only what most of the American people failed to realize it was a war where they were the enemy and that Reagan Bush was only the opening salvo of the war.

Bill Clinton comes to Washington with an ambitious agenda he succeeds in raising taxes. To the Republicans it was a tactical retreat it was less than half of what they had gained and played into their mantra of Democrats always raising taxes beside they knew it was necessary. But in reality Clinton’s economics policies were not much different from Nixon’s. Feeling good about their successes the Clinton’s attempted healthcare reform, this time the Clinton’s would be taught a lesson.

The principle is profit and there is no profit in principle! The Clintons healthcare reform committee was cut off at the knees, overwhelmed by a well financed corporate media campaign complete with two average looking TV actors playing Harry and Louise as just plain Joe’s who feared for their life about what would happen if Washington bureaucrats got a hold of their healthcare. The reforms were decried as communist, the idea of all healthcare companies using the same claim form, the panel’s recommendations were dead on arrival. But the idea of a corporate news media had worked so well that those in corporate America thought, why not start our own television network?

The new media, which has given us our new President, a President who has demonstrably not been elected twice. A media, which was cheerleading us into a war based on lies, which they knew were lies at the time and reported as truth anyway as Orwell spins in his grave.

The fourth Coup D’etat is accomplished, almost seventy-five years in the making. A fascist government in which corporations are allowed to write legislation where tax cuts for the rich are portrayed as wise and prudent while programs for the middle class are seen as charity and wasteful. The 2005 bankruptcy reform act made it easier for corporations to reorganize and harder for individuals to clear their debts. The political parties are emasculated do you want to get elected or not? Then play ball! Corporate haven Delaware’s Joe Biden supported the draconian bankruptcy legislation although he claims to be a liberal Democrat.

The media talks endlessly about liberals in Washington when in fact the actual number liberal members of Congress could meet together in a four-door sedan. The blurring of ideologies, a conservative President who spends more money than all other administrations combined who goes to war while cutting taxes while at the same time the so called liberals favor amnesty for illegal aliens who dilute the wage base. So called liberals who support trade agreements that destroy America’s industrial base costing 3.5 million manufacturing jobs so far and then when the body count starts comming in they take a page from George of the Bungle “Our intelligence was wrong” we didn’t know it would cost jobs.

When the NAFTA agreement was passed we were assured that our tougher environmental laws would be followed but within a year it was struck down by the courts the third leg of the corporate troika. From the 2000 election on our court system has been on autopilot or rather corporate pilot whichever you prefer. Two Supreme Court Justices had family members working for the Bush campaign and should have recuesed themselves then there is the little matter of Article 2 of the Constitution, “Each state shall appoint, in such manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a number of electors, equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress”

So how they are chosen is up to the state but the Supreme Court steps in without jurisdiction and says OK you win but just this once. Where in the thousands of years of judicial rulings is there another case where the court rules just this once? Then without even questioning the media says it is decided then, we must respect our institutions. But the rulings in the six years since make Bush Vs Gore look like a minor clerical error in comparison. The freedoms once guaranteed to us are an illusion the Revolution is over and we lost.

A corporate executive, a corporate legislative body, a compliant courts system and a corporate media you see George W. Bush is not the beginning of the end he is the end and he is not the fourth coup d’etat he is the result of it. Name any decision made by the administration that favored the people over corporate interests. Name any scandal where the principals were fired or convicted rather than the underlings and then there is the war. Billions of dollars lost missing or stolen and their excuse is whoops! But when it’s teenage looters during Katrina the answer is they should be shot. Name any thing that could possibly be gained by the American people in Iraq Vs the gain to corporate interests. Cynical, you bet! Name anything the President has wanted to do that he has been blocked from doing by any other branch of government.

The President claims to be unaware of the suffering in Louisiana yet pictures emerge that he was briefed like April Glaspie all lost in the muttle. The Vice President shoots a man in the face and when the police come to interrogate him about it they tell them to come back tomorrow. How is this any different from Nazi Germany?

If tomorrow they started building a prison camp on the edge of your town and armed Backwater security men were surrounding it, what would you do? Would you demand to know what they were doing in there? Would you risk arrest to find out or would you just watch American Idol and shut up. Look around the answer is obvious

[peacetalksforall]

1. Well done. As to your last paragraph - how about another scenario -

would we stand and watch if a corporation (large medium small) is invaded by INS Homeland Security resulting in Mexican mothers and fathers being yanked up from leaning over a machine or out of trees, then thrown into trucks and taken in to detention to satifsy a voting base - to keep balls in the air in an attempt to satisfy all those in your party - specifically, in this case - those who hate Central Americans and Mexicans? Would we stand and watch while the kids are farmed out or sent to prison to live with their imprisoned mothers until some case can be made to kick them back over the border for ind some seats on an airline?

Those people are here at the un-legislated desire of companies who -
either
want to make a bigger profit for themselves and their stockholders
or
want to bust some unions
or
want to have a better chance at getting a government contract to supply war stuff

Would we stand around?

Or are we just standing around curious about how the WH picks which corporation is going to be targeted next?

When we say a little prayer for the President or the replacement of this President do we think about those imprisoned children - separated from or jammed into a cell?

This country is so screwed up.

Humanitarian progress and survival is wrong. Inhuman regression is good.

[rman]

2. Manchurian candidate

It's very hard to explain JFK jr's death without one.

John Hankey at COPA - 2006
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2533884694073597308

"Assasination of JFK Jr"
seems to be removed from video.google and youtube

[Demeter]

3. Poppy Tried To Off Ronnie?

No wonder Nancy was not on speaking terms with the Bush family. I'm beginning to think Nancy was more to be pitied than censured--she was way out of her fighting weight range with these goons. She's since done a good job rehabilitating her image,too.

When Poppy pops off, the world will be a much cleaner place. I don't think there's anyone to fill his shoes (certainly not among the Bush brethren. And Dumbya has just about destroyed the GOP breeding grounds for at least one generation...)

[Morgana LaFey]

4. Please post links to the other 3 --

thanks!

:hi:

[Daveparts]

6. The Fourth Coup D’etat Part 2

In 1960 after a US backed Coup in Cuba fails Russia agrees to supply Cuba nuclear missiles bringing the nuclear stand off to the brink of annihilation. The President and his brother work through back door negotiations bring about a settlement. But the Kennedy administration has further alienated the intelligence community by its failure to supply air support during the failed Bay of Pigs invasion (Cuba) and by working outside intelligence channels on the missile agreement and third a less than wholehearted support for the Vietnam War. The intelligence agencies felt they had done all the groundwork and that Kennedy was hesitating on following through.

The assassination of President Kennedy in Dallas was a turning point in American history no more would the horse pull the cart from now on the cart would push the horse. Every safety protocol for the protection of the President was violated that day for proof you need look no further than the back of the President’s limonene missing are the two secret service agents normally standing on the back bumper instead left standing bewildered at Love field. They had to be missing they were too big a target for any shot missing the President It is so subtle yet it’s too obvious.

In 1980 as the Republican presidential campaigns heated up the two frontrunners were George Bush and Ronald Reagan although Reagan was the favorite in a January straw of Republicans picked Bush and Bush claimed he had the momentum. But with the deftness that would become the hallmark of the Reagan administration Bush got sucker punched in New Hampshire. The Nashua Telegraph had arranged a debate between the two candidates Regan’s handlers pressed the newspaper editors with legal concerns surrounding the leaving out of the single digit candidates until the paper threatened to cancel the debate entirely.

Then like the B westerns that Reagan had starred in Ronny on his white horse rides to the rescue offering to pay for the debate with his own money. The Bush campaign shows up prepared to debate Reagan only to find out he would be but one of many in the crowd debating Dutch. In a show of the now famous Bush temper Bush fumed and refused to participate leading to an angry confrontation on stage. After Bush had been completely antagonized the Reaganites ushered the also rans out of the studio and the debate took place was the end of the line for the campaign of George Bush.

George Bush was the consummate government insider having worked at all levels of government he had paid his dues to the party as UN ambassador and as head of the CIA and felt entitled to the nomination. Reagan on the other hand was a West Coast outsider a California Republican. Bush felt betrayed by the party establishment and ambushed by the Reagan campaign virulently attacking Reagan’s principles with such famous lines as voodoo economics’ throughout the rest of the campaign.

What George Bush had failed to understand was his government experience did as much to disqualify him as it did to assist him. Under the Eisenhower model you find someone admired by the public who projects the image of a strong leader who wants the status but not the hard work of leadership inside enough to be trustworthy but not concerned enough to know or care what is going on. A movie actor verses a Washington insider gees Bush didn’t stand a chance but the Bush Vs Reagan scuffle was far from Godzilla vs. a Tokyo commuter train Bush was a man of wealth, connections and as the former head of the Central Intelligence Agency he had to be placated.

You keep your friends close and your enemies closer in the most adversarial choice for a running mate since Kennedy named Lyndon Johnson Ronald Reagan names Bush as his running mate and for the same reason and with almost the same result. Johnson the consummate mover and shaker in Congress known for his no holds barred party politics surprises many by accepting what seems to be a step down in political power. Bush as well surprises many by his acceptance of what appears to be scraps from Reagan’s table especially after the bitter campaign and personal animosities between the two men.

Like Johnson and Kennedy, Bush and Reagan are diametrically opposite from each other on almost every venue imaginable. West Coast vs. East Coast born poor vs. born rich well educated vs. not well-educated New England Puritanism vs. West coast laid back. Upon Reagan’s election to the Presidency George Bush’s wasn’t content with the traditional role in the administration of keeping his black suit pressed to attend state funerals. But George’s career in the intelligence field had made him restless and looking for a hobby the one thing you learn in the intelligence field is you make your own luck you don’t just sit around waiting for something good to happen.

He got his family consigliore James Baker III hired as chief of staff and then began maneuvering for position. He began returning the kindness shown to him in New Hampshire Reagan named former General Alexander Haig to Secretary of state but within three weeks Haig complained "someone in the White House staff was attempting to communicate with me through the press," by a process of constant leakage, including leakage of the contents of secret diplomatic papers. Haig protested to Meese, NSC chief Richard Allen, and James Baker and Bush himself. What can you say to defend a general who doesn’t even know who his enemies are?

Haig’s crime, a national Security directive (NSDD1) he proposed on the first day of the administration setting up A special situation group to reorganize under the Secretary of State making Haig "vicar of foreign policy." But George Bush made sure that never happened eventually NSDD1 was signed but it named Bush to chair the group instead. As the press leaks continued Haig became more enraged at the campaign to undermine him his paranoia playing into the conspirators plans but then again he was up against trained professionals. On March 22 The Sunday Washington Post publishes "White House Revamps Top Policy Roles; Bush to Head Crisis Management." Whether Haig knew it or not his goose was cooked the fix was in but Haig wouldn’t go quietly.

Haig went to see the President and you can almost hear Ronny in that warm friendly voice of his assure Haig, "I want you to know that the story in the "Post" is a fabrication. It means that George would sit in for me in the NSC in my absence, and that's all it means. It doesn't affect your authority in any way." Indeed the fix was in, in the event the President was in anyway unavailable George Bush was in charge both as Vice President and now as chairman of the NSC, how fortuitous indeed.


Eight days later on March 30, 1981 Ronald Reagan is shot by yet another lone nut with a gun. John Hinckley Jr. is arrested on the scene gun in hand case closed. Bush had been out of town in Austin Texas speaking to a joint session of the Texas legislature. Now why would the newly elected Vice President go speak to a democratically controled legislature? Why it makes about as much sense as a President who is not running for election reading to school children during a crisis. When Bush arrives in the cabinet room. Al Haig is in charge and in his words states he was at first adamant that a conspiracy, if discovered, should be ruthlessly exposed: "Remembering the aftermath of the Kennedy assassination, I said to Woody Goldberg, 'No matter what the truth is about this shooting, the American people must know it.'

Was Alexander Haig a nut as he was portrayed by the corporate media ala Smedley Butler? Or was he power mad or did he smell a rat, we learn in small increments perhaps Haig had begun to realize who his enemies were and perhaps it even explains Haig’s pronouncements that he was in charge while Reagan’s life was still in the balance

At 7:00 PM The Vice President and Ed Meese enter the situation room Casper Wienberger remembers “very calmly” Bush asked him for a report on American Forces and then for and update on Reagan’s condition and after cursory FBI reports of Hinckley. After the reports were given and it was determined that there were no international complications and no domestic conspiracy, it was decided that the U.S. government would carry on business as usual. The Vice President would go on TV from the White House to reassure the nation and to demonstrate that he was in charge." You have to wonder if he already had a speech written. But within five minutes of entering the meeting all talk of conspiracy was done away with.

John Hinckley Jr. another in a long line of lone nuts with guns, you ever wonder why lone nuts with guns write everything down? It sure does make it easy for the cops doesn’t it? FBI agents find a letter to actress Jodie Foster detailing his plans Huh? When did Hinckley plan to mail it? After the shooting? Hmm things to do today, shoot President then return to hotel and mail letter.

The Hinckley family of course by just a mere coincidence was the former neighbors of the Bushes in Houston but the elder Bush had no recollection of them. Of course it’s impossible to remember all of your campaign contributors but wouldn’t you think if your oil company (Zapata oil) had bailed out your neighbors oil company (Vanderbilt oil) which was operating six nearly dry wells and then your oil company began paying out millions of dollars to him if you don’t remember him don’t you think you should? Could it be that more was going on than the oil business? Bushes Zapata oil had been alleged to be involved with the CIA as far back as the 1950’s because of course when Fidel Castro came to power and nationalized oil wells off the Cuban coast guess whom they belong to? (Zapata)

The story coming out of Scott Hinckley brother of the gunman who was to have had dinner with Neil Bush on the very night of the shooting causing even John Chancellor to raise an eyebrow. However in the Bush household amnesia reined none of the Bushes knew anything about the Hinckley’s no recollection of meetings or business deals or campaign contributions. George W. stated he didn’t remember meeting him but couldn’t be sure by the picture he had seen on TV but wouldn’t rule out the possibility completely. Well it was the 80’s and we know how George spent most of his time during that decade so I take him at his word.

END OF PART 2

[Daveparts]

7. The Fourth Coup D' etat Part One

In 1933 during Roosevelt’s first 100 days a plot was hatched among right wing industrialists and banking interests to usurp the office of the President and if that failed to forcibly remove the him from office and to replace him with a fascist dictatorship.
This was 1933 the future was unknown but what was seen by the world and much admired was a rapid economic recovery in Italy in Germany Adolf Hitler had just become chancellor in January of that year.

But to the American capitalist power structure the choice was obvious, seeing no fault in their own behavior in the stock market crash of 1929 they saw Roosevelt’s announced plan of banking reform as not only unnecessary but a direct assault on what they saw a their own peculiar institution. Like slavery a generation and a half before they saw control of the money and credit supply to be a private affair aloof to the prerogatives of lowly elected executives.

In Italy and Germany they saw governments that did not allow dissent that quashed labor unions. A synergy in which the Government and industry became collaborative effort with strict wage controls after a 25% cost of living increase German workers wages declined.
I note the cost of living increase because of the similarity of President Bushes 2001 tax rebate. German workers were then issued work books they could only legally be hired for a job by presenting their workbook then once employed the employer retained possession of the book and could refuse to return it to a worker who quit his job.

Against that backdrop of a co-opted state and a perceived free hand for business and banking what capitalist wouldn’t lick his lips at the prospect of an American Fuehrer.

These men however were naive they were bankers and Industrialists not politicians Irenee Du Pont - Right-wing chemical industrialist and founder of the American Liberty League, the organization assigned to execute the plot along with his deputy John J. Raskob - A high-ranking Du Pont officer and a former chairman of the Democratic Party. Robert Clark - One of Wall Street's richest bankers and stockbrokers. Gerald MacGuire - Bond salesman for Clark, and a former commander of the Connecticut American Legion. William Doyle - Former state commander of the American Legion and a central plotter of the coup and Grayson Murphy - Director of Goodyear, Bethlehem Steel and a group of J.P. Morgan banks.

In 1933 the American political landscape was in turmoil millions looking to Roosevelt to quickly revive the economy. To the plotters they saw a chance to use that turmoil to gain control of or to turn Roosevelt out of office. It was naive in its simplicity perhaps the light from nazi torch light parades twinkled in their eyes. The plotters attempted to recruit world war one war hero Smedley Butler to lead the coup they felt with Butler’s reputation with the troops would be able to sway veterans to go along with a plot to overthrow the government. The plotters mistake was in recruiting one from outside of their class Butler’s popularity was because of his closeness to the plain soldier not the elite.



The plan involved General Butler delivering an ultimatum to the President. Roosevelt would pretend to become sick and incapacitated from his polio, and allow a newly created cabinet officer, a "Secretary of General Affairs," to run things in his stead. The secretary, of course, would be carrying out the orders of Wall Street. If Roosevelt refused, then General Butler would force him out with an army of 500,000 war veterans from the American Legion. Gerald Macguire assured the General of success

"You know the American people will swallow that. We have got the newspapers. We will start a campaign that the President's health is failing. Everyone can tell that by looking at him, and the dumb American people will fall for it in a second…"

Robert Clark told Butler that he would spend half his $60 million fortune to save the other half so money was no object. Macguire told Paul French associate of the generals

"We need a fascist government in this country… to save the nation from the communists who want to tear it down and wreck all that we have built in America. The only men who have the patriotism to do it are the soldiers, and Smedley Butler is the ideal leader. He could organize a million men overnight."

But the plot unraveled when the General went public with what he knew. This was a hard lesson learned by right wing monied interests and would never be repeated all covert actions must be handled from the inside. It took all the media influence they could muster to save themselves from potential charges of treason.

As they saying goes politics makes strange bedfellows Roosevelt could have pursued the conspirators vigorously but would have risked destabilizing the economy even more or accept a tactical victory. That the conspirators were undone and to let them sink or swim by their own resources like a defeated army with it’s stragglers trying to retreat back to friendly lines.

When MacGuire was called before a congressional committee to explain, his story was he simply wanted to use Butler’s influence to return to the Gold Standard. But unknown to MacGuire other conspirators has already told the tale and much like Scooter Libby he suddenly developed memory problems.

How did the media respond to a plot against the government? The New York Times of Nov. 22 pulled the story off its front page, placing it on page 5, in one column, under the headline ``Inquiry Pressed in `Fascist Plot.'' It led with MacGuire's denials of all charges and the committee co chair stating all testimony would be withheld and the committee was unsure if they would call any further witnesses or even if there would be a public hearing. The fix was in MacGuire was right when he said they had the newspapers The New York Times published a litany of stories belittling the Coup in General and Smedley Butler in particular. Time Magazine chimed in calling Butler “A plot without Plotters” it wasn’t until 1967 before Smedley Butler finally had his name fully cleared.

No one went to jail and Roosevelt’s plans of a banking overhaul were scaled back, the atrocity of the Nazi’s quieted most critics. The US economy still foundered until defense orders brought and end to the great depression towards the end of the 1930’s. Industrialist in both Germany and America chaffed and resented government interference but as long as business was good they would go along quietly.

Despite the full court press by the media to dislodge Harry Truman He remained President for almost eight years instituting the Marshal Plan to rebuild Europe insisting on the name change to Marshall himself to improve chances of its passage. Throughout Truman’s presidency he had sought out Dwight Eisenhower’s politically leanings even offering to support him if he ran as a Democrat and almost up until the day Eisenhower announced his intention to run as a Republican he professed to Truman no political leanings opinions or ambitions. But Eisenhower is a pivotal character in our saga,

Eisenhower is the model Republican President all others are cut from that cloth, make speeches and pronouncements go on vacation, play golf but leaving the minutia of government to political operatives. Work to repeal and roll back reforms that aide the middle class by claiming the programs are unnecessary. Churchill’s Fulton Missouri speech helped foment the Cold war as well as Soviet pronouncements. Being a military man Eisenhower was in full accord of a defense build up but like Smedley Butler before him he feared the rise of “military industrial complex.”

Unlike the operatives in the Roosevelt era the new operatives work from the inside out to manipulate policy. With the rise of the Central Intelligence Agency the President is now able to conduct foreign or domestic surveillance and assassination. No more clumsy attempts with untrustworthy generals.

End of Part 1

[westerebus]

5. Shopping list

7.62 x 39, .308, 5.56, .45,.38,and 12 ga. You never know when your going to get invited to the party. No cause for alarm. Nothing to see here. Keep moving. No pushing. Watch your step. Single file.:evilgrin: