Jesse Ventura: Letter to the Ruling Class

[Quixote1818]

You control our world. You’ve poisoned the air we breathe, contaminated the water we drink, and copyrighted the food we eat. We fight in your wars, die for your causes, and sacrifice our freedoms to protect you. You’ve liquidated our savings, destroyed our middle class, and used our tax dollars to bailout your unending greed. We are slaves to your corporations, zombies to your airwaves, servants to your decadence. You’ve stolen our elections, assassinated our leaders, and abolished our basic rights as human beings. You own our property, shipped away our jobs, and shredded our unions. You’ve profited off of disaster, destabilized our currencies, and raised our cost of living. You’ve monopolized our freedom, stripped away our education, and have almost extinguished our flame. We are hit… we are bleeding… but we ain’t got time to bleed. We will bring the giants to their knees and you will witness our revolution!






http://weaintgottimetobleed.com/

[DeSwiss]

1. TRUTH!

K&R

[cyberpj]

80. But did he have to post it on April 1st ?? nt.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

169. wondered the same thing. I don't know enough about Ventura to venture a guess.

[underpants]

2. Jesse nailed it

always liked him. Glad that he is at least not on their side ..... but the lines are blurring.

Thanks Jesse

[vanbean]

87. I like ol' Jesse too. He is a patriot.

[The Gunslinger]

3. But that hypocrite wants to be Ron Paul's running mate.

A mic is never lonely around that guy. Every thing he speaks against there is Ron Paul's platform.

[eowyn_of_rohan]

5. Keep the good, toss away the bad

what he says here is good!

[hollowdweller]

12. Libertarian Problem

The problem with the libertarians is they have no "Blue Dogs"

There are conservative dems and a FEW liberal republicans, but every libertarian candidate is 100% libertarian.

If a libertarian candidate would ever be for max individual liberty while preserving the social safety net they would give the major parties a run for their money.

[BigD_95]

77. Jess isnt a libertarian

[Little Star]

215. I want the friggin proof that Jesse ventura is libertarian!!!!

They need to put the proof of their claims right here on DU! I think they are just trouble makers!

[2banon]

106. There is such a thing as Socialist Libertairan's

Which is what my personal political views closely identify as. Not saying Ventura is, I don't know enough about him other than a few public interviews and such. But I would make a guess to suggest that his view isn't party affiliated. If memory serves, he considers himself as an Independent in terms of party. (not American Independent). I don't see hypocrisy.

[krabigirl]

139. Yep.

[DeadEyeDyck]

190. there is a test called the Nolan test

that tells you where you fall on the political spectrum

[socialist_n_TN]

200. Yes there is........

And I'm pretty close to that. Very socialist on general welfare issues and very libertarian on personal freedom issues.

[2banon]

228. exactly

Socialist Libertarian's believe in the concept of shared ownership of the public commons, i.e. schools, roads & transportation Community Hospitals (remember those? public safety.

But stay the hell out of my bedroom, my computer, my bank account, my body, my mind, my garden.

Public Commons ought not be privatized. We did with Health Care, and so called State Universities where the tuitions make enrollment inaccessable except for the wealthy unless you are willing to go into debt for the rest of your life paying off loans with outrageous interest charges. and on and on..

[reggie the dog]

151. there are blue dog libertarians

some self proclaimed "libertarians" are actually anarcho syndicalists, they are unionized workers who distrust governments and big business. the tend to vote instead of staying home but dont always vote libertarian, especially if their union makes a STRONG endorsement of other candidates. i know people that fit this discription.

they are blue dogs in that they dont want any FEDERAL programs as they distrust washington dc. state run programs are fine for many of them so vermonts state run health insurance does not bother these kind of people.

every libertarian is long from being a pure laissez faire supporter. many just want pot legal, want their state to have more power because they think that north dakota is more accountable to them and understands better their needs than washington dc.

[lildreamer316]

30. I think he wants 'in' and that's his best way.

I don't like it either,but if one is going to get (in this case,'back') on the political wagon, one has to hitch said wagon to a horse that has even an outside chance of a win (not saying Ron Paul could really win, but he's got some pull).
It really gets me because I have very few things I disagree with Jesse on. I dunno what he's doing, but we do need his voice. :shrug:

[2banon]

104. Is this an arguement against the statements made or the people making it?

Trying to figure out if you disagree with these comments made on factual basis, philosophical, or the individuals making these comments.

[The Gunslinger]

197. I agree with his comments,

But wanting to to be a running mate with someone who is for all of the things he is speaking against makes
Jessie a hypocrite.

[reggie the dog]

150. hypocrite?

ron paul is on our side economically, he is anti corporate wellfare, corporate personhood, and anti free trade, where ron paul is not on our side is on things like abortion.

ventura has nothing about abortion in this letter, it is about class warfare, on class warfare ron paul and jesse ventura are on the side of the working masses.

[The Gunslinger]

198. Ron Paul is for Corporate Anarchy

Child labor, no minimum wage, no government safety health or monopoly regulations. Ron Paul is on the side of the elites.

[socialist_n_TN]

201. Yes he is. He's NOT on the side of the general welfare

provisions that government can referee and run the best.

As an aside, have you ever noticed how "libertarians" want the ECONOMIC libertarianism to happen BEFORE the social issues? They'll make you a corporate slave RIGHT NOW and then maybe CONSIDER legalizing reefer in some libertarian utopia in the pie in the sky future. Pretty much hypocritical in my view.

[reggie the dog]

208. ron paul wants STATES to decide minimum wage, labor laws

and health and safety. he is anti coporate wellfare. You do realize that many libertarians want a small federal govt and strong state goverments dont you?

[Pharaoh]

4. I Love Jesse!

He speaks truth to Power..............:patriot:

[dotymed]

62. Yes he does, very well.

He has the ability to be a "firebrand" President also. As previously said, too bad he has such strict Libertarian views. He could (if he believed in it), get Universal Health Care implemented and a whole host of freedoms and social programs that are a Progressive dream. He knows how to use a "bully pulpit." Too bad he doesn't share progressive views on many things....we could use him.

[russspeakeasy]

86. He is looking for press. He is Donald Trump in reverse.

[Plucketeer]

192. I was thinking the same thing! nt

[joeunderdog]

6. Nice. Well said.

I can't turn off the radio when Stern interviews him. I became a huge fan after believing for the longest time he was a closet Republican. Now, I just think he's honest and outraged. (The honest part makes him ineligible for the Republican Party.)

[sixmile]

10. +1,000,000

best Stern guest ever!

[rosesaylavee]

.

[rosesaylavee]

7. Jesse is running in 2012

Just a guess but I bet I am right.

[inna]

16. really? unlikely, imo. would be interesting though, certainly would split the independent

votes - and probably others, as well. might not be a bad thing, like Ross Perot in 1992 (leading to Clinton vs. Bush victory).

[lildreamer316]

31. I think he's hitching up to Ron Paul

I really don't like most of Paul's platform, but I think Jesse feels he doesn't have the pull, financial or networked, to go at it himself yet. That's the only thing I can think of as to why he would do such a thing. I do wish he could run by himself, but we're still in the era of he-who-spins/spends-the-most-wins, until proven otherwise.

[sasquuatch55]

53. Grayson/Ventura 2012 n/t

n/t

[Voice for Peace]

96. hahah now THAT would be a fun ticket!

[rosesaylavee]

63. I would like to talk to some Minnesotans who experienced him as gov...

from what I remember, it wasn't a pleasant experience. Tho I do like his quote in the OP, I wouldn't support him in any office.

[Brickbat]

68. See my reply below.

No. 67.

[MNBrewer]

72. He was a fine governor.

He got light rail DONE in Minneapolis.
He refused to sign silly proclamations declaring "Days of Prayer" and crap like that.

[reggie the dog]

147. when he was governor and the WWF wrestling came to minnesota

he not only was there but was written into the plotline and punked out vince mcmahon right to his face, vince whose wife linda ran in CT recently. I am just saying, what other governor would have gone to such a "white trash" event? not only was jesse there at such a working class sporting event, but he was part of the plotline, walked up, threatened vince the owner and told him "you aint the most powerful person here tonight vince, just try and prove otherwise" or something like that. the PEOPLE in the stadium were going crazy cheering for their governor. jesse won out of nowhere based on high voter turnout from people who usually do not vote. his base was the working class and he knew it. he would be great as president with someone like grayson or kucinich or sanders as vp, he has the charisma and the appeal to members of the working class and wants to save the american dream, i consider him to be on our side, he is just not a democrat.

[Brickbat]

161. Yes, a man who wanted the state to pay his wife $25K because she had to give up her horse breeding

business to be the first lady is quite the man of the people.

[reggie the dog]

165. 25 k

is not a huge sum of money. he probably thought it was fair. didnt he close the governors mansion and save money by doing so too?

the fact that he went to wrestling and was involved in the plotline just shows that he sees the working people as his base, his fans, and he actually has RESPECT for them. most politicans would not "lower" themselves to going to the "wrastlings". jesse was a trailer park hero that night, i know, i was watching wrestling in a trailer park near chicago that night and the trailer crowd were going crazy saying how cool of a governor he was and how our governor was too stuck up to even be seen at such an event.

[Brickbat]

179. Did the "trailer crowd" vote after that?

Were they inspired? Did they get involved? Try to change things in their own communities? If not, he's leading a cult of personality, not a revolution. It's all about Jesse and it always has been.

[reggie the dog]

205. no, the trailer crowd usually didnt vote

we were in illinois, not minnesota, the trailer crowd did vote for jesse in minnesota though, his base was those who usually do not vote.

[RebelOne]

219. Excuse me, but I live in a mobile park in Georgia.

And I am part of the "trailer crowd." I do vote and most people who live here also vote. The majority of people who live in mobile homes are not knuckle-dragging, beer-swilling, foul-mouthed redneck Republicans.

[reggie the dog]

233. my friends who lived in the trailer park were non voting

20 something, beer swilling, foul mouthed, bong smoking non voters. i tried and tried to get them to vote but they were not interested. my brother, who lives in the same park, votes but he votes republican

[rosesaylavee]

203. I am sure he is a nice guy

but if you read up thread, if he wasn't into working the job of governor, he wouldn't be interested in working the hours of president either. I agree, we need someone who will champion the working class of which I count myself one of... and I like the statement quoted in the OP. But isn't he more of a guy you would want to have a beer with than someone you would want to represent us overseas, be there in an emergency, organize a team working on budget, policy, etc.

I would like to see him knock out Boehner but perhaps we can have him do that without running for President.

[reggie the dog]

209. he is a navy seal

i think he would do just fine organizing a team in an emergency

[rosesaylavee]

210. I know a couple of special forces men...

And I agree that they could organize a team of like-minded special forces people in an emergency where they were addressing a physical challenge. Do they have other knowledge about how businesses are run, how budgets are created, how to work with people thru diplomacy and discussion? Not so much. They are physically oriented and are expert 'doers'. And very good friends who I think the world of too. They would agree with the quote in the OP.

A Navy Seal skill set is not the sklll set I think that would make a good President. We no doubt disagree on that... and that's ok. I wish you well tho and thank you for reading my thoughts on this.

[reggie the dog]

211. would your friends know how to put toegether a team

of experts to help them? a cabinet for example... would their cabinet be better than one full of corporate hacks?

[rosesaylavee]

212. They would think they could. Yes.

Whether it wouldn't contain anyone who's ever worked for a corporation - doubtful.

[Brickbat]

213. He wasn't. He was a member of the UDT, before it was merged with the SEALS, 8 years later.

A small distinction, but an important one.

[MrsMatt]

221. He is not a Navy SEAL

he was UDT and left years before UDT merged with SEALS.

http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/199912/14_kastem_seals/

[zappaman]

231. He is not a navy seal

guess you don't like the truth, eh?

[Thunderstruck]

33. I think you're right. I think he's begun building up to it from what I have seen of him

lately. I'm a Jesse fan. But I wasn't really all that impressed with his appearance on Piers the other night. And I wish he'd make better radio friends too, like maybe Hartmann.

[sendero]

8. People like to make fun of Jesse..

... but he speaks more truth in one paragraph than our president does in an entire speech.

[truth2power]

51. True, that! eom

[NorthCarolina]

88. Those that work hard to obfuscate the truth have issues with people like Jesse

or Kucinich, or Sanders. We have several such folks right here on DU, you can recognize them by the perennial rainbow that shoots from their ass.

[Plucketeer]

193. Yup!

And he could be no bigger BSer than what we've had in the White House of late

[wildbilln864]

9. thanks! nt

[inna]

11. wow, Jesse!

[Dawson Leery]

13. Most succinct.

Even for those who have many disagreements with some of his policies, it is true that the majority of the population does not have the power or influence of a few thousand billionaires, businessmen, and politicians.

[ixion]

14. k/r

:wow: That is one powerful paragraph. :applause:

[KT2000]

15. Well said

and he needs more airwaves to say it again and again.

[spedtr90]

17. Loves attention, hates the media

Jesse's a bundle of contradictions.
He says the right things,and probably believes most of what he says.
But it always comes down to being about him.
My gut feeling is he wants some of the attention Trump is getting. He can be the hero again.
Trump vs. Ventura! What a money-maker!

I prefer my government not be a freaking reality show.

[Zoeisright]

37. You're right. He loves attention.

But he has a HUGE ego, and reality doesn't play a big part in his world.

[reggie the dog]

154. FDR had a huge ego too

he punked out the right when he said that "some here hate me, and they should, for i am their enemy" in reference to republicans


we NEED some attitude to deal with the right in this class warfare.

[liberalmike27]

110. Our government is the worst kind of reality show

It's very real, shipped our jobs away, a choice. Now here we are, 20 million short, those jobs no longer paying taxes to the federal, state, and local governments, people not spending due to not having jobs, wages being lowered, putting us all into a wage-slave frenzy, a low self-esteem miasma. Most of our problems come exactly from what he says is wrong.

Our politicians no longer work for us, and though like with Bill Maher, I don't like everything he says, he's got the balls to say it, and for the most part, his prescription is what we need. We really need someone to stand up to our Pentagon, as the truth is, the core of our problem is the madness of all the wars around the world. It is, and has been, our debt problem, our distraction problem, that has kept us from addressing our most real problems, and concerns.

Go Jessie, Go. Someone needs to say this stuff, and it might as well be you.

[socialist_n_TN]

202. Word bro, word!.........

As I said in my first post in this thread, I'm a fuckin' Bolshevik and I couldn't find anything wrong in that paragraph.

I said the other day that SOMEBODY is going to pick up on all these left populist positions that are just BEGGING for a spokesman. Maybe Jesse's it. Maybe he flirted with libertarianism and has come around to being a socialist.

[demosincebirth]

18. You could substitute GOP for ruling Class. Same thing

[tomp]

137. dems are in on it too. nt

[doc03]

19. He was on Coast to Coast the other night and he hinted

at running on a Ron Paul ticket. Are you all so sure you love him?

[Thunderstruck]

35. The guy is likeable and he speaks his mind, which I like even if I don't always agree. But...

I wouldn't vote for him.

[glinda]

40. As a Minnesotan, I like him but he shouldn't run. He should start a revolution.

[Thunderstruck]

46. I agree, he should start a revolution. He an get his voice heard and he

can get people rallied behind him and I think he'd be reasonable and fair, though I think that I would not like some of the things he says. But he would say and do a lot that I could support.

[cascadiance]

61. If he could be a running mate for a decent progressive candidate (Feingold,Sanders, etc.)

I've actually been saying this for months... I might see that as a ticket that could gather a lot of independents and still have the right spirit at its core of working against the corporatists... Might work if two personalities can come together somehow and forge a coalition where they can agreeing on issues.

He might have to cede some of his more Libertarian views here and there, but judging from what he just wrote here, I think his priorities might be more focused on what someone like Bernie Sanders might have, and I think they might both come together on most issues that they really want to emphasize.

I don't really want Ventura heading a ticket, but I think he would be someone you could negotiate with to get the stuff we need to make sure we have a safety net, etc. that Ron Paul wouldn't, and be a good running mate.

Put it this way, as much as I like Ron Paul on some issues like his anti-war stances and demands for transparency, he definitely couldn't work as part of a ticket for our party with his more hard core Libertarian views in other areas. I think Ventura would ba a far better option, and my gut feeling tells me he might be more flexible to adapt to a Democratic viewpoint that we need to have a strong government providing a decent safety net for us that Paul wouldn't.

[Brickbat]

20. Having lived through his term as governor, I find that the idea of him getting involved in national-

level politics fills me with dismay.

[spedtr90]

24. I'll second that

I think he is loving the idea of Trump vs. Ventura.
Country? No, it's about the show.

I prefer my government not be a freaking reality show.

[reggie the dog]

156. can you explain?

was ventura too working class and not polished enough? what do you mean?

[crazyjoe]

194. Any american citizen can run for public office. Are you against the constitution?

[Zoeisright]

39. I'll third that.

While he's better than Pawlenty, that isn't saying much. Ventura is all about Ventura. If I had to see him blathering in front of the cameras one more time, with his head bobbing and it all being about HIM, I was going to throw a brick through my tv.

[glinda]

41. Very true.

[Brickbat]

67. I'm going to get on here again and encourage people to think long and hard about their political

support for this guy.

When he ran for governor in Minnesota, many people were interested in what he had to say because he was such a break from the "politics as usual" feel the race had with Hubert H. Humphrey III and Norm Coleman. If he didn't understand something, he said so. If he had an opinion, he said so. People like that, as evidenced by this thread.

But after he was governor, it became clear that while he liked the idea of making statements and having opinions, he really hated the idea of governing. He was contemptuous of the state House and Senate and seemed disappointed he wasn't king.

He ran on many ideas that sounded great: reducing class sizes, increased funding for secondary education, gay rights, and so on -- lots of things I believe in. In office, though, he was an embarrassment -- whining about the media, demanding extra security for his family, shutting down the governor's mansion (putting many state workers out of a job), abandoning the class-size idea, overhauling property taxes in a way that was devastating for school districts in vacation areas, running down the surplus by giving citizens tax refunds, and so on.

He very much came across as a "governing is harrrrrrrrd!" type person and for all his "I'M A NAVY SEAL!" swagger, he is very thin-skinned and defensive.

If he runs and splits the vote on both sides like he did in Minnesota, I will FREAK OUT. I can't believe we're even having this conversation.

ETA: I understand it when Republicans elect people who hate the idea of government, but I was shocked that "independents" and Democrats would do it, too.

[Pacifist Patriot]

69. Spot on

[geardaddy]

113. As a Minnesotan, I second Brickbat's assessment. n/t

[LuckyLib]

141. Brickbat is right on target, says another Minnesotan who lived through the cringe-fest that

was Jesse. We have enough opinionated, uninformed idiots in Congress. Jesse likes a good rant, but should not hold public office in any way.

[Frank Ness]

189. 'We have enough opinionated, uninformed idiots in Congress.......

Jesse likes a good rant, but should not hold public office in any way.'


I guess those other ones are doing such a good job, eh ?

I'll take his honesty and directness over this pandering BS 90% of these corporate whores we call politicians dish out. Lap it up America, it good for you, because they say so.

Jesse likes Nader's quote, which is so applicable .... something like 'We have a two-party dictatorship'

The system is broke folks, the quicker we all realize it, the closer we get to becoming a democracy again.

[rosesaylavee]

119. Thank you - I didn't have specifics on why he didn't do well in Minnesota

I hope you are ready to keep repeating this same deal over and over again because I am willing to bet he will run for President and people will need to hear this. We definitely don't need another big ego. We need someone willing to do the work.

[Brickbat]

121. It's hard to find concrete examples about what did and didn't happen during his term -- much of it

was tied up in the Legislature. It was difficult for both parties to craft things that the governor would sign, and Ventura made it very clear that he wasn't interested in sitting down and doing some of the horse-trading work. He pretty much sat on a throne and waited for stuff to come to him that he could either sign or send back.

Much of what I remember was simply the tone that state politics took during that time. It became a total sideshow. He was such a whiner and the reps and senators got all holier than thou about dealing with him. Minnesota has such a strong public-minded tradition of politics; I found those four years hurtful and disappointing.

[Atypical Liberal]

127. That's a shame

Sounds like his heart is in the right place but either he is incompetent or was unable to operate within the political system.

I've often wondered if President Obama isn't in the exact same boat. I like to be charitable and think that the system is just so corrupt he can't maneuver in it.

[reggie the dog]

157. who had the legislature when he was governor?

the class size issue would have been blocked by the legislature? basically the 2 parties refused to work with him because he was not one of them so he could only do what the other parties agreed to vote for. no shit he would bitch about the legislature at this point.

[MNBrewer]

185. He does have a very thin skin

which is a drawback for someone in politics, BUT, considering that he was neither a D nor an R, and had no base in the legislature, I think he did pretty well.

[MNBrewer]

73. At least Ventura doesn't kowtow to "Jesus 'n' Friends"

unlike every other politican, Democrat OR Republican.

[krabigirl]

138. This. Nt

[NuttyFluffers]

76. considering 2 Predator movie stars were Govs, how come Carl Weathers or Sonny Landham are not yet?

Apollo Creed needs to rule a state of the USA! I vote his birth state of Louisiana.

[harmonicon]

84. Bill Duke was lieutenant governor of Wyoming for six years in the '90's.

So what if he was only second in command? I think that still counts for something.

[NuttyFluffers]

177. holy crap, never knew that! that's 3, 3 for Predator, ha ha ha!

see, politics favors strength, because most people don't think. :)

[harmonicon]

191. ok, not really

I made it up, but it's pretty good, isn't it? Tell your friends!

[jwirr]

129. I love what he said - I agree that I do not want him as a vp or a prez.

[progressoid]

133. Yeah, I know a couple people in Minnesota that are still feeling the sting of Jesse's "leadership"

n/t

[Odin2005]

21. GO JESSE!!!

[mdmc]

22. r

[unkachuck]

23. I just....

....might have to pretty-near, just-about, possibly-maybe, consider voting for you for if you were to run in the Dem primary for Prez....

....run, Jesse, run....we've got your back!

[Poboy]

25. Recommend

[socialist_n_TN]

26. Well I 'm pretty much of a commie and........

I can't argue with anything he's said in that paragraph. I'm not sure I trust him with all the Ron Paul shit going around, but if he wants to ditch that RIGHT libertarian shit and run as an economic left populist and LEFT libertarian, I'd get behind it.

[jakeXT]

27. Biff Tannon would say "There's something very familiar about all this."

Wasn't this posted before?

[slay]

28. K&R for Jesse

motherfuckin badass.

[davidthegnome]

29. K & R for truth

I couldn't care less about Jesse Ventura - but some times the man speaks the truth.

[inna]

32. slightly OT, but has anyone seen his "Conspiracy Theory" (or something like that) on cable teevee?

I saw it once, and was more than intrigued. Could never find again though. Just curious if anyone else saw that show and/or has an opinion about it.

[Thunderstruck]

34. Yes. In fact, his show brought Tru TV it's highest ratings ever and is

still a ratings bonanza for them. Ventura describes the show as entertainment and, as a viewer, I agree. He doesn't take a position one way or another about the conspiracies, just walks us through them with an "investitainment" (my new word, just made it up) format.

It's really no sillier an entertainment vehicle for a potential presidential candidate than Trump's Apprentice is. But I don't watch that show.

[inna]

36. Tru(e?) TV, that's it! - Oh, and come on, "Apprentice" is, like, on the whole different

depraved level!

Agree with you on the concept of "investitainment" though, it's even a better term than "infotainment"! (LOL, you should patent it before someone steals it! :D )

[Zoeisright]

38. It is an unbelievably stupid show.

My far right wing parents are hooked on it. For instance, Ventura claims that the government has built a machine that controls the weather. That's why the weather has been so weird; global warming has nothing to do with it. He came to this conclusion because there is a government weather station in Alaska, which MONITORS the weather. They wouldn't let him film inside. So it's a big conspiracy the big government is running.

For another example, he claims that the Chinese are shipping water from Lake Michigan to China, in other words, stealing that water. He gets this from the fact that Nestle corporation bottles water from Lake Michigan and their biggest customer is China.

He takes one small fact and blows it up to ridiculous proportions and comes to the completely wrong conclusion. If you have logical reasoning ability and a functioning brain, you do NOT want to see that show.

[Thunderstruck]

47. Are you sure Jesse is making the claim or is it his guests who make the claims?

I'd like to see some video of Jesse making any claim. I'll agree that he guides the conversation, but that's what a host does.

[battlema]

91. HAARP is not Weather Monitoring

It's a military run project that pumps up to 3.6MW of power into the ionosphere..this does not Monitor the weather it alters it.

[arbusto_baboso]

109. Prove it.

[arikara]

112. Do you really think

that they built a massive high powered secretive array like that to simply monitor the weather? Really?

[Name removed]

115. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[arikara]

120. It was a question.

But ok... do you have any proof for what you say, other than rude bluster?

I thought not.

[reggie the dog]

158. it is something to investigate at any rate

i have heard old people talking about h a a r p here in france, people in europe have heard about it and are not really convinced that it has anything to do with monitoring the weather. some other kind of experiements or use but no one knows what it is, we just dont think that it is for monitoring the weather.

[SoulSearcher]

148. OK - lets try this quote from wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Frequency_Active_Auroral_Research_Program

The most prominent instrument at the HAARP Station is the Ionospheric Research Instrument (IRI), a high power radio frequency transmitter facility operating in the high frequency (HF) band. The IRI is used to temporarily excite a limited area of the ionosphere. Other instruments, such as a VHF and a UHF radar, a fluxgate magnetometer, a digisonde and an induction magnetometer, are used to study the physical processes that occur in the excited region.

That is not monitoring - that is research re atmospheric manipulation

[arikara]

118. Welcome to DU

You will find there are some here who don't enjoy having their comfortable view of the world questioned. But generally its a friendly place.

[kenfrequed]

92. Worse yet

He had actually done more harm than help to conspiracy theories that may have some validity by blowing them wildly out of proportion. The style of his show is also irritating as hell to me.

[kenfrequed]

93. That said...

When it comes to political matters he is usually pretty reliable. This one might be one of his over the top posts though.

[xiamiam]

103. perhaps you should do some research on Haarp...nt

[Pharaoh]

78. Yes loved that show

on trutv I think, I do not get that channel but have found each show on youtube hours after it's been broadcast. Looking fwd to his next season.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlC5Zfcho5o

[oldhippydude]

135. i was just about to mention that!!

I actually did catch the conspiracy theory series most of the time... he lost me when he declared Global warming a hoax.. he bought into the corporate denier stuff, then pulled some obscure lady out of the Andie's to confirm it.. theres where he lost me.. some of the series was informative however, but i had a feeling it was more more drama than science.. i was unimpressed by his team and their conclusions.. muscular Trump!!!

[Little Star]

216. It had a lot of valid information. You just needed to separate the wheat from the chafe.

He is not perfect and is a show boat. But, there was a lot of truth in what he was trying to tell us about.

[ladjf]

42. I like this piece. I saw Ventura a few nights ago on CNN. He

said a lot of truth during that appearance.

[yurbud]

43. shit!

[Keith Bee]

44. Wasn't this posted yesterday?

[indimuse]

56. It should be posted everyday!

maybe people will start to wake uup! ;)

[Archae]

45. Letter to Jesse Ventura...

Get some medication for your paranoid schizophrenia.

From a former Jesse Ventura supporter...

[MilesColtrane]

48. Aaaaaaand, he's done

"you will witness our revolution" isn't campaign talk, it's crazy talk, crazy talk that everyone recognizes.

[reggie the dog]

159. the whole tea party has such talk

and is considered to be "honorable" my many americans. how is jesse "crazy"?

[MilesColtrane]

196. There won't be any kind of revolution, changing the basic structure of power in the U.S., unless...

people have nothing to lose.

The people with real power in this country will never let it get to the point that people will riot and overthrow them.

[guruoo]

49. k&r

[indimuse]

50. KNR for every word!

Let the TRUTH be heard! Now will people around here wake up? no. They don't realize they been fooled. THERE IS NO Republican party or Democratic party...they work for the same interests..NOT YOURS! Sure they will fight publicly..look like idiots..but when it comes to moving this country in a specific direction..they are in lock step! Period! Look around. WE are in trouble..every facet of our country is FAILING! Oh, but NOT THE WAR MACHINE! Obama was a diversion to get in there and continue what bush didn't get done! FACT! We need a Independent with TONS of $$$..

[Enthusiast]

52. PASS CARD CHECK -now! nt

[democrank]

54. I`d rather listen to Jesse any day than

the mind-numbing blah-blah-blah coming from Washington.

[indimuse]

55. Or the FAKE US bought and paid for corporately OWNED media!

;)

[FlyByNight]

57. Eloquent and direct

Nice.

:thumbsup:

[Gravel Democrat]

58. ^^^ Jessie, Paul, 1776 and 201?

[Hubert Flottz]

59. K&R

[SpiralHawk]

60. The Prole Anthem

falling upon the willingly deaf ears of the RepubliCorp SuckerPuppet Masters, and their darkside legion of SuckerPuppets.

[JVS]

64. Garrison Keillor's book's account of the dream about Lenin is coming true.

[MNBrewer]

71. During Ventura's term as Governor, his look always reminded me of Lenin

REVOLUTION!

[in_cog_ni_to]

65. Music to my ears! HELL YES! Finally, someone tells it like it is!

WTG, Jesse. :bounce:

[SaveAmerica]

66. Viva la Jesse!

[chrisa]

70. Jesse Ventura is about as credible as Alex Jones

No offense. He sounds like a paranoid nut.

[in_cog_ni_to]

74. Really? Name one thing he wrote that isn't TRUE. n/t

[chrisa]

95. His History Channel program is just bizarre.

He's a 9/11 truther that thinks WTC7 was a controlled demolition.

He has appeared on The Alex Jones Show multiple times.

He reminds me of Ron Paul.

[in_cog_ni_to]

97. I've never seen his show, but his statements in this letter are all TRUE n/t.

[chrisa]

100. Ron Paul has also said similar things.

I class him and Ventura in the same light.

[2banon]

111. You didn't know that WTC7 was a controlled Demolition?

Surely anyone that's seen a controlled demolition in action at least once, and then observed WTC7 going down understands immediately that it was a controlled demolition. It's as simple as knowing when it's raining.

[zappaman]

153. Bwhahahahahahaaha!

Yes, it looks exactly the same!
:sarcasm:
And sounds the same too!
Remember all those VERY LARGE explosions we all heard before the towers fell?
Wow....just wow.

[reggie the dog]

163. +1 i knew it from the first time i saw it, then had my opinion confirmed

by many many physics professors from around the world. a structural engineer here in france explained to me that even if the whole complex were built poorly the odds of planes knocking over such buildings was very very very tiny and that the 3rd tower falling from fire is just the cherry on top.

i must know a bunch of crazy people right???

[zappaman]

171. yeah.

I guess you must know a lot of crazy people.

[Hailtothechimp]

183. Absolutely. I've seen controlled demolitions. And WTC7 was one.

Hell, maybe the two towers were too. But there's no doubt about building 7.

[midnight]

125. Bizarre....Compared to the greatest transfer of wealth in this country... or

letting P.B. be in charge of oil clean up? How about letting Karl Rove , Dick Cheny, George Bush walk around this country giving book tours,and telling the world it's alright to break the law... Those trump my bizarre meter, more than Jessie Ventura getting mad and wanting the working people to hear something that needs to be said....

[reggie the dog]

160. so am i, so are many people with phd's in physics from around the

world.

why do you think wtc7 fell? do you believe the magic bullet theory about kennedy?

[chrisa]

173. Ventura is a Ron Paul Libertarian

I won't discuss the DUngeony stuff here, in order to be nice to the OP, but I group him along with Alex Jones. They're the "New World Order," "shtf" idiots.

Doom, gloom, 80's movie fantasy nuttery.

[Bluenorthwest]

181. Just so you know, the tactic of hitching Ron Paul to people as

a smear is not worth repeating over and over here. It is called 'guilt by association' and most DUers will sort of skip that as evidence of anything. There are a couple of people working the 'Ron Paul' alert on this, others do it to Kucinich. They post 'oh, Dennis Kucinich and Ron Paul are good friends' and stuff like that. It might be worth one shot, but to ride that sort of a horse too long gets obvious quickly, and would be rejected by most, even those who dislike Ventura. Ron Paul is a racist old crank. He'd never say anything like what Ventura says in the OP, and you know it just like everybody here knows it.

[reggie the dog]

206. did it occur to you that ron paul and jesse ventura

both are anti patriot act? they have common points sure, but they also diverge. The are both anti corporate wellfare. jessee seems to see workers as his base and wants to help them find and keep good paying work. what is wrong with that? what is wrong with the paragraph he wrote? plus you didnt answer my question. do you believe the magic bullet theory?

[sabrina 1]

178. Building 7 was a controlled demolition. The owner admitted it.

And John Kerry admitted it also. You don't have to be a truther to know that. The building, they claimed, was unstable, although why, since it was not hit by a plane, is another question. But as a NYer, I can tell you that no one doubts that that one building was demolished on purpose.

[reggie the dog]

207. and if tower 7 had explosives put into it so it could be brought down

the other towers probably did at the same time, the weekend before 911 when there was a total security blackout so "fibre optic cables" could be installed.

shock and awe baby!

[Search4Justice]

75. Jesse has an upside...

.. he is VERY honest and won't say something just to please some segment of "the voters." However, he has a real downside also. He very often is a buffoon, as should be pretty clear considering he literally had a (maybe still has?) a show named "Conspiracy Theory". He was unimpressive as Governor here. However this letter does strike a note that is being ignored in the DC Bubble. There is a huge storm gathering and the privileged few had better open their eyes and understand that hiding behind their gated communities will not save them.

[BigD_95]

79. Jesse would get my vote in a heart beat

[harmonicon]

81. yeah.... revolution...

Millionaires who live on the beach in Mexico are just choc-full of revolution. "To the barricades... I mean, tiki bar."

[Brickbat]

82. Heh. The only revolution Jesse is about is his own.

After the high of "SHOCKING THE WORLD" through his gubernatorial victory, he wants it all.

[janet118]

83. Jesse has found the point where left meets right . . .

If you read the comments section after it on his website, you'll find it is mostly right wing, mostly male, mostly dumb. The statement is good as it stands, but it is a political Rorschach test. It may appear to be a unifying clarion call, but, as soon as you get into the specifics, the divisions become apparent and irreconcilable.

[Brickbat]

85. Yes. This is how he has played it since day one.

[Love Bug]

89. Every once in a while Jesse Ventura says something I agree with

I wouldn't want to see him running for public office.

[rucky]

90. I don't really care who wrote this

just the fact that is was written and we're discussing it is inspiring to me.

[2banon]

117. what's disappointing is that the content isn't being discussed, only the person who said/wrote it.

as happens too often, the actual content isn't being discussed at all. Just about the entire thread is about who wrote it and whether or not he should be supported as a presidential candidate etc, etc.

What I'm curious about, is how many of those who have opinions about the author of the statements, agree or disagree with the veracity of the comments. Therefore, I don't know what to conclude.

On the other hand, there are several posters who concur and simply say so. And a few who concur with the statement but expressed unwillingness to support him if he ran for office, that's interesting.

But the posters who are critisizing Ventura's politics, aren't offering an opinion on the statement is curious to me.

[midnight]

94. That's how Obama needs to give his message tonight....

[in_cog_ni_to]

98. This letter should be read word for word...to open his speech tonight.

Like THAT would ever happen. :eyes:

[harun]

99. LOL

[Poboy]

116. Obama would wet his pants.

[ensho]

101. he is a truth teller - hope he wears a flak jacket

they murder truth tellers

[reggie the dog]

164. he is a former navy seal

i think he still has some pretty high connections, he had people following the cia agents tailing him when he visited cuba and punked out the cia and told them their tail would end up dead if it were not called off.

he is still alive years later, he has something, connections or information, but he has something in my opinion, that enables him to avoid unfortuate accidents.

[MrsMatt]

222. He's NOT a SEAL.! Stop saying that!

http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/199912/14_kastem_seals/

[zappaman]

230. He is not a former navy seal

more like one of those seals you see in the circus.

[colorado_ufo]

102. Wow!

Loves it! That made up for the cup of coffee I couldn't have this a.m.

[I Have A Dream]

105. I would not vote for him without major changes...

in reference to what he supports.

However, I completely agree with his statement in the OP.

Additionally, I greatly respect his speaking out on the issue of airport full body scans and pat downs by the TSA:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/01/25/us-jesseventura-idUSTRE70O7L520110125

[Renew Deal]

107. Sounds like he's running for president.

[arbusto_baboso]

108. Hasn't Jesse stated that the Japanese earthquake was the work of HAARP?

Yeah, he's a delusional paranoid. I'd take anything he says with a huge grain of salt.

[reggie the dog]

166. is it possible that a navy seal would make connections

in the military and be privy to some information you and i are not?

do you believe the magic bullet theory, if you say no then we agree that pandora's box is open and "reality" is just an illusion and investigation is needed to find the truth.

haarp seems to be about more than just weather observation.

[zappaman]

232. he was not a navy seal. n/t

[Myrina]

114. Double Dupe ...

... searching before you post is generally a good idea. Jus' sayin' ...

[malaise]

122. Perfect

Rec

[abelenkpe]

123. Love that paragraph

But loath Ron Paul.

Well said Jesse.

[JohnnyRingo]

124. I don't agree with everything The Body spouts from his Libertarian position

but I enjoyed this brief commando style counter attack on our puppetmasters.

[hifiguy]

130. Same here.

Jesse occasionally finds some significant truth even if he is something of a goofball. Trust me, after seeing him up close as Minnesota guv for four years, you don't want him running anything, though. Which is NOT to say that he wasn't vastly better than Timmeh the Tool Pawlenty.

[reggie the dog]

167. he is not a goofball, the media protrays him as such to diminish

his power of telling the truth by diminishing his credibility, like they did with howard dean for him yelling yeee hawww, yet when w. was a redneck that was fine.


kucinich is "loony" because he saw a ufo, well many people have seen ufo's so no, he is not loony. but he tells the truth a lot

[JohnnyRingo]

172. I agree that the media applies the coat of paint they see as fitting

But from what I understand about Ventura he's a big time self reliant guy who thinks everyone else should be so too. Therefore he's not much for social programs.

It doesn't help his image that he did that conspiracy theory show that found a secret force at work under every rock they overturned. Sometimes a conspiracy theory is a conspiracy fail.

I like Jesse when he says something with which I agree, but I don't kid myself that we're on the same page when it comes to governance. I defer to anyone who lived in MN while he was governor.

[jwirr]

126. You know I did not like him when he was our governor but I love this

guy.

[GreenTea]

128. Excellent!

[upi402]

131. Piers on CNN was a complete douche to him

Piers really showed his colors and completely swings on the corporate meat.

Jessie may be radical in a couple areas but -like Perot- is right about the big issues.

I'm even open to the extreme ones at this point. I don't trust this government one bit and definitely question authority these days.

[geardaddy]

152. Piers is douche, period.

[katty]

132. Jesse is speakin' the truth

[mvd]

134. I respect Jesse even though I do not agree with him..

on everything politically. He's a Libertarian and I'm a small-l libertarian. He shakes the establishment up, and that's a good thing! I think his show was cancelled because he got too close to the truth.

[alfredo]

136. He's crazy as a March Hare, but right on this.

[davidwparker]

140. Run !!!

[Aerows]

142. I like Jesse Ventura

He tells it like it is, and doesn't hold back. He's right.

[Blue Owl]

143. It's even better

if you visualize Jesse's voice saying the words -- building up in intensity to the final words!

(he has a very distinctive voice)

[texshelters]

144. Here's why he was elected governor

and why he couldn't stand to stay in office.

Peace,
Tex Shelters

[bertman]

145. For everyone who is grumbling or bitching about 'Jesse this' or 'Jesse that'

I suggest you read his books.

The guy is transparent as glass. He is not a bullshitter. He is a populist. He is not fooled by the media. He speaks truth to power.

I would vote for him in a heartbeat. In fact, I wish he would run for President. I'd proudly support him.

Rec.

[zappaman]

155. He is a bullshitter

Starting with his "I was a Navy Seal" claim that he utters every 5 minutes...

Former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura was NOT, nor was he ever, a Navy SEAL; though part of Underwater Demolition Team 12, he left the Navy 8 years before they were combined with the SEAL Teams, and SEAL status was not retroactive. The 2 NEC's for each are different as well. Ventura, though on active duty during the Vietnam War, never saw any combat action.

Ventura's claim to be a former member of SEAL Team 1 was exposed as a lie by former Navy SEAL Commander Bill Salisbury in his article published in the San Diego Reader. The link to the text of the original article is below.


http://cursor.org/venturawatch/dangerous_game.htm

[Brickbat]

162. Yup.

And for someone who brags about being a SEAL, he sure is thin-skinned.

[reggie the dog]

168. he is not a bullshitter, this is huge

he also took part in wwf wrestling while he was governer and punked out the owner vince mcmahon.... that made him a hero of many a wrestling fan because he was not "too uppity" to come to the wrestling whereas most other politicians are too "high class" for that kind of thing.

he is anti tsa, anti patriot act, and pro worker. that is pretty damn good.

plus he is the kind of guy many working class people would love to have a barbecue with and it is for real, not bullshit like with w. he speaks his mind, i may not always agree, but it is nice to see someone who thinks things through then gives their opinion based on what they think, not based upon what they think the polls say...

[Dappleganger]

184. He has good things to say at times but he cannot govern.

[Glaisne]

146. Spot on!

Thom Hartmann read this on his show today. I do not agree with everything that Jesse Ventura says, but this bit is spot on. Worthy of Michael Moore.

[sarcasmo]

149. Right on Jesse, Right on.

[goodnews]

170. It's great theater, but Jesse needs to come up with a plan

and I don't think he, being closely aligned politically with Ron Paul, has any plan. He must state where he stands on Capitalism vs. Socialism. From his lack of candor on this I suspect he maintains that Capitalism is still a viable system. Socialism is the only solution that has not been tried and that is because, as much as I hate to say it, anybody who tries to promote it doesn't live very long.

Maybe I've seen too much.

[Bluenorthwest]

182. It's fun to count the number of people who post 'Ron Paul'

on this thread, and also how many times each of them does it! The thing is, this thread is about what Ventura said, and your response is not. Not in any way at all.

[goodnews]

226. Are you following me around? Taking my theme about going

off topic I posted elsewhere and then stick it on me? And very lamely at that.

Your reply is idiotic. When someone puts himself in the public spotlight as Ventura has, what he doesn't say can say alot about who he is and what he does, or does not, stand for.

You are saying that specious omission of vital information about a person's political position should have no bearing on how you evaluate him/her. :eyes:

Ventura is a bullshitter as someone else hear so eloquently put it.

[socialist_n_TN]

204. I agree. If he's had a "Come to Jesus" moment .......

RE: socialism, I want to know about it. IF I heard about it and believed him, I'd support him. If for no other reason than to shake up the status quo and MAYBE push Obama to the left.

[goodnews]

227. Ventura had a "Come to Jesus" moment?

Your reply is a little confusing. I agree with the idea that religion is the opiate of the masses. No truer words spoken. Especially when you look at how utterly corrupt, morally and intellectually vacant modern religion is. It is a cesspool of hate mongering fascist pigs manipulating mentally ill boob tubers who don't read, don't think and don't give a shit about anything accept their own hermetically sealed existence.

[socialist_n_TN]

229. Just a figure of speech. I'm southern remember........

it's in the username. That's the way even Reds talk down here. :)



What I meant was that if Jesse has had a change of heart about his right libertarian ways and wants to embrace a socialist agenda, which this paragraph seems to imply, I wouldn't have a problem with supporting him.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

174. why is this making me cry?

we sure need Warriors for our side......

[bvar22]

175. 1) Bring our troops HOME,

2)Cut Military Spending

3)End "Free Trade"

Sounds like a platform I can support.



Who will STAND UP and FIGHT for THIS American Majority?
Lofty Rhetoric, Empty Promises, and Whiny Excuses are meaningless now.

"By their WORKS you will know them,"
And by their WORKS they will be held accountable.

[upi402]

176. By their WORKS you will know them

Yet Obamanistas are completely duped by his BS rhetoric - even now. Unreal.

Take it back!

[northoftheborder]

180. Ventura's paragraph is a keeper. I'm printing it out. However,

I must say, although I do not live in or near Minnesota, I did not have a very good impression of him as Governor. He comes across as a huge ego, loving the limelight. Maybe I'm wrong, I'm willing to listen to his ideas. But I thought several times during those years that I would be embarrassed to have him as governor of my state, and would not care for his personality as President either.

[WillyT]

186. K & R !!!

;kick:

[deaniac21]

187. Ventura is a true intellectual!

[crazyjoe]

195. Really.....? Jesse Ventura?

[Brickbat]

199. Snort.

[Poboy]

223. It is not intended to be of the intellect, but of the condition.

This is the condition and state we find ourselves, and his words give expression to that condition.

[deaniac21]

225. But he's reel smart...

[BOG PERSON]

188. X

[Frank Ness]

214. Too many here have their minds made up.

Too many here go 'defensive' with their comments. Offensively defensive. The standard, 'tear down the opposition' to build up support for 'your guy'. I am afraid most of America has been conditioned to believe you are either with us or against us... on both sides of the fence.

As I listen more to Ventura, I acknowledge his shortcomings, but admire his honesty and actually agree with many of his political viewpoints. I think most here would and do, if you would pursue the truth about him. I believe his best attribute is his word. He can not be bought by corporations, nor swayed by pollsters. He is fighting harder to preserve our rights as individuals than 99% of those in DC. His sincerity is genuine. He does not need anymore fame. Dont be afraid of his affiliation with Ron Paul. Paul is really a hybrid libertarian/ constitutionalist embraced by too many rightwing extremists. Tea anyone?

As far as the connection to Jesse's conspiracy show, perhaps some should view it with an open mind. I, for one, believe JFK was killed by our own... does that make me a paranoid wacko? Or do you choose to believe the Warren Commission ? He asks questions that need to be answered. The topics vary. This one is disturbing. Watch it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csmf061Hpw8

It is from an episode that was yanked from the TV after one showing, from pressures from the FCC. you will not only cringe from the topic, but from the response from a Congressman. Crazy stuff does happen. "Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities. Truth isn't." Mark Twain

Put aside your biases and realize there is more stuff going on behind the scenes than what is on the stage.

Do you trust your Government ? Did you 10 yrs ago ?

Thanks for reading,

Your truly,

a Reborn Independent trying to find a home

[Poboy]

217. Welcome to DU Frank Ness!

[white_wolf]

218. I'll admit I know next to nothing about the guy,

but I do agree completely with his letter.

[Ganja Ninja]

220. It all sounds good on paper.

Talk is cheap. The questions are:
Would he be willing to hit them with a 90% tax rate until the country can get back on it's feet?
Would he be willing to walk away from the 3 wars we have ongoing and slash the military in half?
Would he be willing to change the corporate tax laws to discourage overseas investment and eliminate loopholes for going offshore?

I honestly don't trust anyone that has been an anti-tax, anti-big government libertarian in the not too distant past.

[essentialmoves]

224. letter to ruling class

Mr. Ventura succeeded in summing up the current american
situation in one short paragraph.  Consider me in!