The Distributist Review: December 2006

New Year's Hiatus

We at the Review will be taking this weekend off to be with our family and friends for the New Year. We want to wish all our readers in America and the rest of the world - along with your families - a safe, peaceful and Holy New Year.

And God willing, it will be one year closer to a Distributist Earth...and nothing less.

Permit us to leave you with a quote from Chesterton:

"The object of a new year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul."

HAIL GILBERT! HAIL BELLOC!

Media Concentration and Supressed News

Our colleague at the weblog The Western Confucian, replying to a "Peak Oil" article at the weblog Antes De La Caida, wonders why the "mainstream media" hasn't picked up on how this theory is a hoax. Part of the reason why is that this same "mainstream media" is part of the larger problem afflicting America and the world.

A core principle of Distributist Thought is decentralization of the means of production and distribution. That includes media outlets, which produce and distribute the information and entertainment we often rely on. Over the decades, in spite of massive growth in Internet news and research, America's "mainstream media" has been concentrated into fewer and fewer hands. And with such concentration comes open and hidden influence over what can and cannot be told.

The non-partisan group Free Press has been tracking this for many years. With information from the Columbia Journalist Review, Free Press exposes that only eight companies - I repeat - eight companies own and control the majority of American media outlets. They are General Electric, Walt Disney, TimeWarner, Vivendi Universal, News Corp., Bertelsmann, Viacom and CBS.

Free Press notes four major flaws in America's media:

1) Profit over public interest
2) Media consolidation
3) Media ignores it's own
4) Citizens have no part in the debate

With the "mainstream media" in such a state, supression of controversial stories is - too often - par for the course. Both left-wing and right-wing media monitors have covered such acts of distortion and censorship over the years. The killing of these stories continue today.

Stories like the elimination of America's southern borders and the building of the "Trans Texas Corridor". Stories like the state of the poor in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Stories like the growing movement to demand President Bush's impeachment. Stories like the "Top 25 Censored Stories" series the left-wing Project Censored organization covers every year.

So in a similar fashion, stories about the "Peak Oil" hoax are also hidden away. Like memos obtained from Mobil, Chevron and Texaco on reducing refining capacity in order to reap higher profits. Or that back in 2004, the Saudi government admitted their oil reserves were triple what they were in the past.

And both Alex Jones at Prison Planet and Jerry Mazza at Online Journal have reported on this over the years without the "mainstream media" picking up on these stories.

The media conglomerates are part of the problem, whether on the truth on "Peak Oil" or other issues. Whether by "conspiracy", shared consensus or a mixture of the two, any story that won't help their bottom line or promote their worldview won't get covered at all.

Which is why independent media outlets need to be supported. Also these conglomerates must be broken up for good, no matter how long it takes. So blogs like the Review, The Western Confucian, The New Crusade and others must be read and promoted.

For further in-depth reading on the monopoly press, get Hilaire Belloc's The Free Press from IHS Press. Such news story supression was common in his day as well.

The Distributist Review and The Western Confucian will - most likely - never agree on "Peak Oil". But we do agree on promoting energy conservation and alternative energy use. We do agree on buying locally so as to use less fuel. We do agree on doing more with less as much as possible. Promoting these three can only help our energy situation, our environment and our prospects for a Distributist future.

And that is always a good thing.

Many thanks to Joshua Andreas and Tracy Fennel for their patience with me, as well as helping to inspire this article. Thank you both so much.

Millionaires and Morality

As Chesterton said in his 1917 book Utopia of Usurers:

"All but the hard hearted man must be torn with pity for this pathetic dilemma of the rich man, who has to keep the poor man just stout enough to do the work and just thin enough to have to do it."

But the super-rich and super-powerful, out to create a World State run by themselves, are more likely than not to get rid of those same poor men. This desire is skewered by author Nancy Levant, who is also a columnist for opinion website News With Views. Her latest column, "The Morality of Think Tank Millionaires", notes these same millionaires have contributed to corrupting the American public over the decades.

Like her fellow columnist Devvy Kidd, Ms. Levant hits hard and fast at the conscience of the reader. We ignore her observations at our own peril. Read it and act on it, as we work and pray to lead America toward a Distributist future.

World Bank Lies For Globalist Agenda

This December 22nd report from the Financial Times of London notes that the World Bank fabricated evidence to promote it's pro-World State agenda. The first external audit of the controversial bank, now run by prominent neo-conservative Paul Wolfowitz, reveals that the Bank ignored research that contradicted it's pro-globalist policies.

This comes at a time when, according to a report from Bloomberg.com, half of the Bank's high-level executives resigned since Wolfowitz became President in 2005.

Such institutions as the World Bank have been rightly criticized by leftist and other groups for it's negative impact on Third World economies. Rightist groups have also exposed the Bank's promotion, along with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a global currency. As far back as 1994, the New American magazine informed their readers of the Bank's support for such a scheme.

Such institutions like the World Bank must be fought tooth and nail, as must any other that pushes for the goal of a World State. Let the poor nations of the world find out more about Distributism, as well as how it is being put into practice, and dependence on the World Bank will shrink.

Christmas Hiatus

We at the Review will be taking Christmas Eve and Christmas Day off to worship the Christ Child and relax with our families. We will return on Tuesday, St. Stephen's Day.

On behalf of myself, John Medaille and Jovan Weismiller, we wish all our readers all over the world a safe, happy and Blessed Christmas.

CHRISTUS EST NATUS EX MARIA VIRGINE! GAUDETE!
(Christ is born of the Virgin Mary! Rejoice!)

PEI Power Future Looks Bright

It’s a variant of an old saying that just as a truth is getting up in the morning, a lie has traveled half-way around the world. So it is with the lie of “Peak Oil”. Too many people believe the collection of stories claiming the world is running out of oil. But as Russian and Ukrainian researchers have discovered over the last 50 years, crude oil is not a fossil fuel but comes up from the Earth’s magma. Oil wells thought to be dry are refilling. Nations like Cuba and Vietnam, thought to be without any oil, are now taking contracts for oil drilling off their shores.

So it is necessary to fight the poison myth of “Peak Oil” with the facts, as well as with much prayer and patience.

However, it is also true that there are better ways of generating energy than with oil. This report from the Christian Science Monitor, sent via the controversial news website Rense.com, tells of one daring scheme that can pave the way for other countries.

Canada’s smallest province of Prince Edward Island (PEI), which imports almost all her energy, is leading the way with an ambitious plan. By 2016, God willing, the province hopes to generate 30% of her power from alternative energy - especially from wind power. It is generating jobs and income, as well as diversifying the province’s energy mix. Further, it increases her energy independence.

Distributism believes in decentralizing and localizing both government and economy. But it also believes local economies shouldn’t be tied down to one or two industries for their livelihood. PEI has depended much on both agriculture and tourism for her income. With these energy projects underway, her economic future looks brighter. Let’s hope that the province continues down this path toward Distributism. And pray the rest of Canada follows suit.

Pro-EU Leaders Still Push For Euro-State

According to poll results posted December 20th on the website EurActive.com, more and more Europeans want decisions on energy policy made closer to home.

The poll, taken from March to April of this year, notes that four out of ten Europeans want their particular national governments taking care of energy issues, rather than the neo-Soviet EU bureaucrats in Brussels. Even better, twelve percent want the local levels of administration to handle these issues.

EU bureaucrats, in a public announcement about the poll's findings, made this - for them - surprising statement:

"Citizens may think that when fast and effective decisions need to be taken, the authorities who are closest to citizens are usually the most efficient."

That is the principle of subsidiarity in a nutshell, and one of the core tenets of Distributist Thought. This principle was fought for when the currently shelved EU Constitution was voted down in the 2005 referendums in France and Holland.

But this stance and the referendem defeat hasn't stopped the pro-globalist elites running both the EU and national governments in favor of it. Germany's chancellor Angela Markel, who confered with her Danish and Finnish counterparts on December 19th, still advocates reviving the proposed Constitution. Germany takes over the presidency of the EU in January.

The battle against the threatened European "superstate" goes on and must go on until the day when the globalist elitists give up their scheme for good. The nations of Europe have too many differences between them. They won't be papered over by a man-made construct based on Socialism and secularism. So Distributists must continue to pray and to educate the public in Berlin, Paris, London, Rome and elsewhere about the evils of the EU until it is dissolved forever.

Other Opinions On China Dollar Dump

This report from Anthony Wile, a financial analyst for Free-Market News Network, gives a different perspective on the threat of Red China getting rid of it US$1.1 trillion dollar reserves all at once.

Wile believes that China may not do so for two major factors:

1) The Beijing regime has over half a billion people living who are living on a subsistence level and demanding their share of the nation's burgeoning wealth.

2) Red China's suppliers of oil and raw materials still deal in dollars and hold them also. They might be tempted to think twice about their trading deals with Beijing if they go through with a "dollar dump".

Nonetheless, this is - for a Distributist - more evidence proving that a nation must be as self-sufficient as is both economically and physically possible. That one must trade with other nations, but not to the extent that one can't survive without it. That a country must de-centralize and localize it's economy as much as possible, at least for it's long term security.

Both parties now in Washington, controlled by globalists, won't even entertain such thoughts. And their counterparts in Beijing, still committed to a Red world utopia formed by Marxism-Leninism-Maoism-Dengism, would reject such protests as "petite-bourgeois revisionism".

Which means we who believe in and support Distributism must tell all who are interested about it. Get our neighbors to prepare themselves for any event that may stem from what Beijing threatens to do. And pray, pray, pray for God's mercy on these events.

China and the Dollar Crisis

Word has come via the pro-globalist Washington Post, the German magazine Der Spiegel and the news and opinion website Rense.com that the American dollar may be going into a tailspin the weekend of December 16th - 18th.

Thanks to the Bush presidency continuing the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars, shipping manufacturing overseas, promoting “free trade” policies and pushing for a World State run by globalists like himself, the dollar has lost 30% percent of it’s value against the Euro. This weekend, in economic talks with Communist China, the Beijing regime told their American counterparts that the PRC intends to get rid of her US$ 1.1 trillion this weekend. Doing so would smash the weakened dollar, setting off a chain of events that would - literally - create a Second Great Depression.

Both globalist factions - one Monopoly Capitalist, one Marxist - could manipulate the frightened mob into supporting one or the other faction. Each side could spin a web of propaganda claiming that putting the globe under their “governance” - whether Washington-London-Brussels or Moscow-Beijing-Caracas-Brasilia - is the only way to avert permanent misery.

Neither faction supports Distributist principles and policies. Neither faction believes in economic and political de-centralization. Both sides want to run the world without opposition.

What to do? Pray, pray and pray. Inform folks you know who are interested about this to prepare themselves for any possible calamity NOW that may result from this. Tell them about Distributism.

And keep watching developments on this critical issue this weekend.

Zimbabwe Lament

Zimbabwe continues her downward spiral into oblivion, just like so many other Marxist nations. Cathy Buckle, via the news and opinion website Rense.com, send her weekly missive in from the former Rhodesia. The currency worthless even within her homeland, it can’t buy basic staples as eggs, meat, milk and butter. Average folks, black or white, have to get by on whatever they can…if they can.

And from the controversial South African reporter and commentator Jan Lamprecht comes word that Zimbabwe’s dictator, Robert Mugabe, changed his mind about resigning in 2008. Lamprecht sees that Mugabe has all but declared himself “Dictator For Life”. It is logical, since his cronies depend on him to keep their heads above water.

Along with the Fatima Consecration, a Distributist plan of action and the removal of the Mugabe regime can only do Zimbabwe a world of good. So please keep praying for that poor country, that God deliver them from this heartless tyranny.

Devvy Kidd on "The Power Of One"

In the past, we’ve featured links to the columns of Devvy Kidd at the opinion website NewsWithViews. She has never disappointed yet. In this column, she talks about the “power of One”. That is, on how one person, persevering against all odds, will attract folks of like mind to themselves to change things for the better.

In light of the globalists continuing their pace toward destroying America and Canada, she advocates local action within whatever community we find ourselves. Take her advice to heart, especially in promoting Distributism in your home town. The neighborhood you help save may be your own.

Small Towns Continue Fight Against Chain Stores

The small cities and towns of America still waging war against the chain-stores, with varying degress of success. As reported in the Albuquerque Tribune, small communities see the "big-box" stores as not helping to build a sense of community or competitive fairness for small businesses.

And according to New Hampshire's Portsmouth Herald, the city government is seriously considering putting limits on placement or expansion of the chain-stores.

When "big box" stores need to be shopped at, then so be it. But as Chesterton encouraged us in The Outline of Sanity, we should do all we can to keep the small stores open wherever we find ourselves. Until the day the chain-stores fade away into the mists of history, let us buy from them as little as possible. And let us support local efforts to aid small businesses and co-operatives whenever we can.

Delhi Poor Form Housing Co-ops

This report, dated December 7th, comes to us from the newspaper Express India.

Poor people dwelling in 41 slum areas in India's capital will be able to buy their own buildings as members of four joint-owned cooperatives. These co-ops will be run by the Delhi city government, co-op members and local land agencies. Since land is at a premium, it was decided to build high-rise apartments for the poor rather than parcel out land to them after the slums were torn down.

It is expected that this effort will help over 15,000 families.

India, as well as many other Third World nations, are leading the way in implementing Distributist principles to reduce destitution and poverty. The former slum dwellers get to own their own buildings, maintain them and raise their families -- all with minimal big government and big business inteference.

Many such efforts increase and flourish.

Brazil's Poor and Recycling

Even though Brazil is still under the regime of the neo-marxist Lula Da Silva, there are some good signs of Distributism breaking through the Socialist prison. This report from the Brazil-Arab New Agency tells of how small companies, cooperatives and ordinary people are creating jobs by garbage recycling.

According to the report by Debora Rubin, there are 500,000 recyclable garbage collectors in the former Empire of Brazil. Many are employed in cooperatives that help generate income for the poor via recycling. Recycling brings in US$ 3 billion yearly to Brazil, and 50% of daily trash in that country is now recycled.

With the national government keeping their hands - for the most part - off the daily operations of the recyclers and their co-ops, this can only further Brazil's movement toward Distributism. Now let them continue to apply this to other sectors of their economy and their government, as well as get rid of both Socialist and multinational conglomerate influence in their land.

Congratulations to Brazil on such efforts so far.

Sad Day For Venezuela

As reported by the London Independent, the neo-Marxist Hugo Chavez has won another term as president of Venezuela. To thousands of his supporters, this friend of Cuba's ailing dictator Castro declared:

"No one should fear socialism," Chavez proclaimed. "Socialism is human. Socialism is love."

"Socialism is love," Senor Chavez? Really? Tell that to those suffering in the prison camps of Red China, North Korea, Vietnam, Cuba and so on. Tell that to those in the European Union - so-called - being squeezed by overegulation. Tell that to those one hundred million who died at the hands of the Red dictators from Lenin to Mao.

Or go all the way back to the French Revolution and the Reign of Terror under Robespierre. What a flowering of Socialism that was.

If this is "love", indifference is looking better with every moment.

Latin America continues to go Red with Lula DaSilva's re-election in Brazil, and fellow Socialists winning in Bolivia and Ecuador. This can only bring much misery to Latinoamericanos.

Along with the Fatima Consecration, South America can only be freed from the Capitalist/Socialist dilemna by learning and implementing Distributism. Nothing else will work.

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