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qwerty90615's avatar

I worked for the US federal government for 23 years. Concealment will always be part of government. The best possible situation is to see government as a necessary evil and keep it as small and powerless as possible, but corruption overwhelmingly bloats it constantly.

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Coleen Rowley's avatar

I worked for the FBI for 24 years and for many of those years served in a legal capacity as a divisional Freedom of Imformation Officer and you are exactly right! Often things are kept secret simply for secrecy's sake! I was once told by headquarters not to release some documents being requested under FOIA and Privacy Act , not because it would do any harm but simply because they didn't want to set any precedent that might dent agency secrecy!

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Gary's avatar

"to see government as a necessary evil and keep it as small and powerless as possible" is a total contradiction in terms.. When we do this we push freedom of conscience into the freedom from owning one because we become totally emasculated and unable and unwilling to hold people accountable.

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qwerty90615's avatar

What term is contradicting which term? Do you find that evil shouldn't be tolerated (reasonable aspiration, but never realized).

Maybe if you can explain what it is that "we do" when "we push", we could discuss further. I guess "we do" = recognizing government as necessary evil, but as opposed to what? Perhaps celebrating government as the crown of creation (as long as it under your control, perhaps)?

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LW's avatar

100% John.

From my limited experience working in government, and years of observing…most employed there are in it for themselves only, and worthless uses of our taxpayer dollars.

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qwerty90615's avatar

I knew very many government employees who had good intentions and that having those ensured good results. “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”

The art of ignoring corruption is highly developed. I was a whistleblower. Here's a little nugget:

https://impendingchange.blogspot.com/2021/12/faa-flight-checks-and-drones.html?m=1

Of course, we are in it for ourselves. Most of what most people do is to meet their needs.

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JOHN SILVERS's avatar

Truth

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Brien's avatar

Years ago I was sent to the CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia by the company I worked for(at the CIAs request) to give a presentation on how my company managed a high technology development program. What really stood out from that visit was the extreme secrecy of the CIA. I was met at the airport upon arrival in Washington DC by my CIA host and escorted to the Langley campus. The first thing my host said(after hello) was that I was not allowed to ask questions during my visit to the CIA, effective immediately. No questions whatsoever. I said that I understood and by the time we entered the CIA campus and drove into the largest parking lot I have ever seen(full of cars) I had forgotten the question directive and let slip the trivial question: “How many cars does this parking lot accommodate?”. My host quickly reminded me of his question directive.

And so it went during my visit and presentation. I was asked many questions, was not allowed to ask one. It seemed to me to be secrecy in the extreme. I didn’t “question” it then. Now I know that it was at its heart a form of accountability and constitutional abuse.

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Taming the Wolf Institute's avatar

If you had been trained in mediation, or Trump's Art of the Deal, you would have insisted, immediately, on parity. For every question the CIA asked, you were allowed to ask one in return. Equity. Parity. Goodwill. Principle. And you would shame them by asking, you do not want to be. unprincipled, do you?

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qwerty90615's avatar

He wouldn't have made it into the building if he insisted on parity.

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Taming the Wolf Institute's avatar

Precisely. In order for the CIA to get what it wanted, they had to show good faith in the "negotiation." If they would not accept parity and a reciprocal process, then, yes, you walk away. This is a key aspect of negotiation. They want something, they work with you. It is important to mirror the other side.

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Tatiana Shariff's avatar

.... and the company, who sent him there would have fired him for not completing his assignment.

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Jennifer Jones's avatar

Righto.

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Robert Auld's avatar

You have just summed up what the CIA is. JFK was right, it needs to be shattered into a thousand pieces and scattered to the winds.

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Jimn's avatar

perhaps you didn't sense it at the time but i respectfully add to your last sentence: "... and intimidation." you must be made to feel inferior.

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Tatiana Shariff's avatar

and very FEARFUL.

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Jennifer Jones's avatar

Not nessarily abuse.

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ForestDi56's avatar

It’s not just big government. Goes on everywhere. Our tiny school in an unincorporated tiny township has a new school clerk who insists she must have her own office and work behind closed doors. One of her major job duties is to pay bills, receive money, and balance the budget. And report these activities to the school board. The only other persons with any authority to view or access our bank account are the County Superintendent who encouraged her hiring and who has reportedly been friends with er for over 20 years. And the brand new School Admin (kind of like a principal without the title) also encouraged for hire by the Super. Who is now keeping the pre-existing assistant clerk/receptionist from knowing what is going on in the school or after hours staff activities. Do you think this school is being set up for some funny business? Corruption appears to be inherent in humans. Put us in front of money and possible power and insist on closing the doors and you will have corruption. That is a given.

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Sharon Michael's avatar

Even our HOA is secretive! What is everyone hiding?

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Lorraine Thomas's avatar

Absolutely….she’ll figure out a way… to cook the books…for her and her phony friends! You watch! This world thrives on thieves!

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ForestDi56's avatar

This school’s history is full of this nonsense. I thought we had that worked out but it looks like it is starting all over again.

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Rascal Nick Of's avatar

Tucker or Kash. Who are gonna believe about Crooks? https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/11/fbi-director-kash-patel-issues-response-after-tucker/

Im gonna go with Tucker on this. Kash is covering it up. He is compromised. And we are never going to learn the truth. About a lot of things.

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Luanne Hisle's avatar

Agreed! 👍

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Tatiana Shariff's avatar

we haven't for centuries, why would we start now. Obfuscation is another tactic.

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Evil Incarnate's avatar

Prior to accepting the nomination, I don't think Patel gave any thought to the fact that some of his future employees are determined to undermine him and the man who hired him. He still hasn't. And it shows.

He certainly hasn't figured out how to manage the problem. His FBI will go through the motions of solving crimes and protecting national security, but unless he figures out what he's up against and how to bring the Deep State under control, his term as FBI Director will be one of drift.

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Tatiana Shariff's avatar

...and he needs to stop acquiesing to the girl friend's wishes by allowing her to sue several people on the same team for nonsense. Just because she is 20 yrs his junior and he is flattered.

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evergreen's avatar

His personal situation is unimpressive. His mannerisms and communications, ditto.

For as much hype as he created before elevation to office, he made clear in hindsight just how unfit he is.

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Dan Star's avatar

Who doesn’t need anymore money? Tucker (Swanson Foods).

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Ches Crosbie's avatar

I read you because you are NOT mainstream

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SteelJ's avatar

Irritated by your questions? Hardly. You are spot-on as always. After watching 90% of the world population so easily duped by the blatant COVID scam, I'm not surprised your clear thinking and good advice doesn't resonate with so many though. With a world populated overwhelmingly by fools, how much hope is there, really? But thank you, and thank you again for trying, and you do it so well.

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earl's avatar

Secrecy and lack of adequate explanation leads to 'conspiracy theories' (really rational attempts to explain what is observed). Conspiracy theories invite ridicule, which serves to further obfuscate the truth. Ridicule leads to division and frustration. So not only have the perpetrators covered their tracks, but left us distrustful and divided. Well done. Demonic, but well done.

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Taming the Wolf Institute's avatar

You are correct. A fellow named Cass Sunstein, husband of Samantha Powers, published a paper, out of Harvard, that became his ticket into advising Obama. His idea was for the government to initiate fake conspiracy theories and flood the public square. After a while, the public would grow frustrated and not listen to anyone's theory - no matter how correct. That tactic was in strong use up through Biden's administration and in the current Democrat wave of slanderous alleged conspiracies.

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earl's avatar

Thanks for the reference. I just skimmed it but will read it carefully after reading the following two excerpts:

...the best response consists in cognitive infiltration of extremist groups.

II. Governmental Responses

What can government do about conspiracy theories? Among the things it can do,

what should it do? We can readily imagine a series of possible responses. (1)

Government might ban conspiracy theorizing. (2) Government might impose some kind of tax, financial or otherwise, on those who disseminate such theories. (3) Government might itself engage in counterspeech, marshaling arguments to discredit conspiracy theories. (4) Government might formally hire credible private parties to engage in counterspeech. (5) Government might engage in informal communication with such parties, encouraging them to help.

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1084585&amp=&amp=&rec=1&srcabs=292149

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Gary's avatar

well done and demonic..? You must also believe in political correctness, that place where it's ALL good. Including immorality.

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earl's avatar

I was being sarcastic.

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Jason's avatar

It is not theoretical when your government is actually working on behalf of puppet masters, whose goal is to control and harm us through subversion and economics.

Until our government is no longer controlled by Israel or their citizens who own the banks, 94% of media, search engines, immigration policy, big Pharma, Hollywood, and hold sway over the judiciary, then no amount of activism or elections will make a dent in our collective suffering.

It’s really that simple

“To know who rules over you, simply look at who it is illegal

to criticize “

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Kathy Sloan's avatar

Thank you John - you are 100% spot-on! Interestingly, I just finished reading the brilliant & erudite British academic David Hughes' review of the equally brilliant Iain Davis' absolutely MUST-READ new book: "The Technocratic Dark State: Trump, AI, and Digital Dictatorship." As Hughes (an expert on technocracy) writes, if you don't read another book, read this one!

"In no uncertain terms, Davis warns of the dangers of a social credit system (SCS) linked to digital ID:

If we submit to a digital ID […], then, assuming we are compelled to use […] digital currency (linked to our digital ID), we will not be able to escape the social credit system, no matter how much we balk. Indeed, once those digital connections have been snapped into place like handcuffs, our behavior within the digital prison can be — will be — adjudicated in accordance with the SCS rules that govern us.

He makes no bones of the fact that we are faced with “oligarchs who are hyper-focused on exploiting digital technology for the purpose of enslaving humanity.”

PLEASE read this: https://dhughes.substack.com/p/review-of-iain-davis-the-technocratic?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=594370&post_id=177055578&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=gccnd&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email

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BikeInTheTrees's avatar

Thank you for sharing your wisdom. On your recommendation I’m going to look at “The Technocratic Dark State”

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Kathy Sloan's avatar

Great! This is vital information that literally everyone on the planet needs to know since the digital control grid is fast being cemented into place. Another excellent source on technocracy is Patrick Wood who's been writing about this for 20 years. If you haven't already, be sure to read David Hughes' review linked above.

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BikeInTheTrees's avatar

Yes

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Gary's avatar

I don't think a book is necessary to see that SCS is where we are headed. That is - If we indeed avoid the horrendous crash of the web being destroyed first. Covid has been an awakening to many things one of which was how it forced our hand as it pertains to digital money. I hate how well it has worked and how it exposes just how blind we are to such overt control. BTW Was it just last week that pennies are no longer to be minted? (I refuse to step foot in McDonalds mostly because there is but one thing on the menu I will eat (hot biscuit w butter) but also now because I refuse to use their Kiosk or anyone else's. Im an old boomer and wonder if anyone here has a good name for starting a group on FB that addresses this issue and helps people steer clear of the crud MCADEES serves!

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Kathy Sloan's avatar

In regard to resistance to digital currency & the movement to keep "cash as king," be sure to follow Catherine Austin Fitts' Solari Report (solarireport.com) and James Corbett's Solutions Watch on corbettreport.com. Another great source is Ryan Christian's Last American Vagabond (thelastamericanvagabond.com).

Covid starkly proved how the overwhelming majority of the population will go along with anything, including their own democide. The transnational ruling class' depopulation agenda is now on steroids - just look at Canada's MAID that's now targeting people with mental illness. Anyone that costs the state money is to be targeted for elimination.

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VictorDianne Watson's avatar

I couldn’t agree more, John. I’m so sick of all the speculation about any of the issues you mentioned. Let’s get the truth about all of them and put them to rest. It just makes for sound bites and clicks. In other words, report the truth and shut up about it!!

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Allie's avatar

Secrecy does invite speculation.

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Gary's avatar

remember Bush Jr's comment on Skull and Bones when asked about it?

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Allie's avatar

Commenting about your speculations as speculations without sufficient evidence, John, does not mean that we want only to read or hear about what we want or what we agree with. I can suggest that I want to see evidence for your speculations without turning to Fox or CNN, neither of which are my preferred news sources. I can often agree with you, but I’m not a blind follower without any of my own, independent opinions.

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Greg Simay's avatar

Whether in advertising or governing, the people in charge have concluded long ago that it's easier to bewitch us with appearances than to give us the real goods. Since the early 20th century, we've learned a lot about how to influence human behavior. That knowledge can be used for good--how we can tap into our potential--or for evil--how to cripple us so that we can't (for example) tell the appearances of a free republic from the realities. For their evil spells to wotk, secrecy is essential.

The infamous tag line, "...and you will be happy," should remind us that achieving subjective happiness is not the ultimate goal. Suppose a mad scientist deliberately injured an infant's brain so it had became severely retarded, needing adult supervision for the rest of its life. Suppose we and the mad scientist look in on the infant 20 years later, now a young adult, smiling and laughing. "He's one of the happiest people I've ever met, anywhere!" his daytime caretaker assures us. Does that in any way justify what the mad scientist had done?

Now imagine that the infant's brain had been left alone. He grows up to be a musical genius, practically redefining the very concept of music. But he's also a tormented genius, not unlike Beethoven, tormented by seeing too much of reality, the price of imaging music never imagined before. Now suppose he's offered a choice: he could continue with his present life, or the mad scientist could mangle his brain in infancy and he could become that happy boy, blissfully unaware of the realities that plague his emotions.

I'm betting that he would recoil in horror at the prospect of relinquishing his gifts, as if the avoidance of suffering was the end-all and be-all of human existence.

Just because the mentally crippled boy is unaware of what he has lost, it doesn't make the loss any less evil.

So next time you hear "you will be happy," think instead, "you will be diminished."

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Bonnie B Matheson's avatar

Keep exposing the conspiracies! Eventually, enough people will wake up. I just hope it will be in time.

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Marsali S.'s avatar

Thank you, John for this. It appears that we are stuck in an endless doom loop. Always money for constant wars and meddling in far off places, and things falling apart at home. It’s almost cliche to say it anymore.

CNN and FOX are two wings of the same bird.

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Mothertrucker's avatar

Or the tired old “for reasons of national security”

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