Life Cycle of a Crisis

Have you noticed, over the past twenty years, how most every potential crisis that any portion of the American public has faced, has been gobbled up by Washington and the main stream media, with each doing their assigned duties in transforming what may or may not be a legitimate news story into a doomsday scenario with predictions of apocalyptic destruction?

Government has changed from being an entity large enough to come to the aid of those facing and surviving disasters, making a positive difference, to being a monster seeking catastrophe and destruction as a means to accomplish their ends.  Rahm Emanuel, during November of 2008, the incoming Chief of Staff for Obama, said, "You never want a serious crisis to go to waste."

What would a crisis, which has gone to waste, look like?  What is a wasted crisis?  If I may, I believe the statement by Emanuel would have been more aptly stated as, "You never want a potential crisis to go to waste."  The answer can be found in the recent history and responses to potential crises.  It resembles a story many of us heard when we were young children. 

Chicken Little, while walking in the woods, felt something fall on her head and assumed that the sky was falling.  While running to give an official warning, she gathered Henny Penny and Ducky Lucky.  They met with Foxey Loxey, who offered to help in their cause.  It was Foxey Loxey who perceived an opportunity to take advantage of the citizens during a perceived crisis.  He led the three of them into his den where he proceeded to devour them. 

In this story, Chicken Little, Henny Penny and Ducky Lucky represent the segment of the population who looks to big government to constantly save them from potential harm.  Foxey Loxey, of course, is big government and is always ready to portray themselves as riding in on a white stallion to save the day.  But, instead of doing what is best for the people, they make sure that the crisis does not go to waste and they proceed to make the people more dependent for their needs and safety. 

For the nursery rhyme, have you noticed that the object used to cause the insecurity among the people, which results in their total loss of freedom, is the acorn.  Is that just a coincidence? 

A wasted crisis is one where the government has not gained in their position of control and power over the people.  It would be a situation where aid was rendered with absolutely no strings attached.  It would be one where the threat was not magnified in order to generate the perception that only government is big enough save the people.   If a potential crisis came and went without government gaining something from it, that would be a wasted crisis. 

Let's consider some recent "crises", the hype and outcome:

1.  Wall Street - Two years ago, right now, we had just watched big government (BG) take over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  Then we were told, by BG that Wall Street needed to be rescued because they were too big to fail.  If we did not pass TARP by Friday of that same week, the economies of the World would collapse (one big acorn was dropped).  Both sides of the aisle stood before the cameras and issued the dire warnings.  We were promised that these massive funds would be used to buy troubled assets from failing financial institutions, getting them off of the books of the investors, thus causing stability.  Those foreclosed homes, which were to be purchased, were going to be held and released slowly, so as to not cause an over supply of foreclosures on the market and help keep the housing industry from collapsing.  We were told that "we the people", who were the ones being required to fund the bailout, would actually make money off of the brilliant effort by the future sale of these houses at prices higher than what was paid to the banks.  Win-win!

Well, sure enough, the politicians talked themselves into passing the TARP bill; but, low and behold, no houses were purchased.  No, instead, the money was just doled out to favorite corporations and unions.  The cost to us was just under a trillion dollars, once you consider all of the pork barrel projects added.  As to making money off of the bailout, well that is not going to happen because there are no houses to sell at a profit.

The crisis empowered BG within several corporations, insurance companies and financial institutions; plus aided the union buddies who helped secure the election of Obama.  The public (Little, Lucky, Penny) got devoured.

2.  Health Care - The crisis was the millions of uninsured citizens in America and the rising cost of health care and health insurance premiums.  BG and the media inflated the need to cover those actually uninsured and without choices.  They rammed through, against some of their own rules and against the will of "we the people", "Obamacare".  As Pelosi promised, once they passed it, we would begin to see what was in it.  Six months later, premiums are going up, employer plans are being dropped and no up-side can be found. 

The crisis empowered BG to gain control over various portions of our individual lives and the choices we used to be able to make with our doctors.  They built into the plan various revenue generating sources.  The un-wasted crisis has resulted in the people having less liberty and being saddled with the massive costs of the program (around one trillion dollars).

3.  BP oil leak - Though BG was big enough to step in and make a difference, almost immediately, they chose to ignore, blame and stall.  They did not want it fixed too soon as that would mean they had not taken full advantage of the crisis.  They rejected help from other countries and companies.  They talked in front of the TV cameras but did not talk with oil industry experts.  It took weeks before they met with anyone from BP. 

The crisis empowered BG to fleece BP out of a promise for $20 billion.  It gave them the opportunity to shut down U.S. oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico (at the same time we are funding drilling by Mexico in the same place).  They aided in the harm to the economy of several gulf states but are now looked to as the source of salvation. 

It seems that many crises have a life cycle:

1.  Conspire -  Work together with those who may be able to help you promote a potential crisis (media, unions, Acorn, etc.).  Define the desired ends and plan the means to get there.

2.  Manufacture - Run through the streets yelling "the sky is falling!".

3.  Blame - Use shock and disgust as you point fingers at those industries who are Capitalistic.  Instill an attitude in the people where a violent uprising is only a few steps away.

4.  Rescue - Government steps forward as the solution to the crisis that has been blown completely out of proportion.



5.  Take Over - "Solve" the problem by passing more legislation with higher taxes and fees, giving BG more control over our lives.

6.  Reward - Those who have aided in the process get rewarded according to the success of the growth of government and level of takeover of the victims rights, property, and finances.

Then the cycle begins all over again with the next potential crisis (Cap and Trade = global warming, Comprehensive Immigration Reform = broken borders, etc.).

That pitter-patter on your roof is not rain, it is acorns.  The sky is falling!