Bamboozle is a funny-sounding word, but if you’ve ever been bamboozled, it’s not funny at all; in fact, it’s an experience you’ll probably never forget, but not for Merkan’s, we’re bamboozled every hour of every day; so often, in fact, that we no longer recognize it; we’re desensitized, oblivious, and inured.

Bamboozle: to deceive by underhanded means or methods: to confuse, frustrate, throw off wholly and thoroughly, cheat, hoodwink, trick, fool, dupe, perplex, or hornswoggle.

I just spent the last few hours skimming through my posts on the Federal Observer. My goodness, I write a lot. I want to thank my good friend Jeff Bennett for sharing and archiving my work, but I’m not alone there on FO (interestingly, there is an alternate interpretation for those initials ). Jeff has more information on this site than any human could possibly absorb. Not to mention his three other sites, but that’s not the point of this current work, although we all owe Jeff our gratitude for his efforts to make America a better-informed republic.

Shakespeare said it best: “What’s Past is Prologue.”

When I first read Shakespeare in high school, I was confused, but then who wasn’t confused in high school… It wasn’t until later in life that I began to understand what Mr. Shakespeare meant. He painted with words. When I grasped that, everything fell into place; it all made sense.

Here’s my take, and as usual, it contradicts popular and scholarly conventions:

We are the past, and what we do with what we know determines the future, those things can serve to guide us, and when ignored, shape our destiny.

History allows us the opportunity to learn from these events, but it does not compel us to apply them. That is our decision, but our choice does not obviate or offset the impact. What has already happened sets the stage for the future…

In one of my recent articles about AI, I mentioned the vast amount of data available on the internet, also known as the interweb, as well as other storage locations. “AI has access to over 175 zettabytes of information. That’s the equivalent of 250 billion DVDs or 36 million years of HD video.

Remember that not all of the information is true; it’s just data, and no one has yet validated, verified, or corroborated it.” (Do You Trust AI?) It becomes information when we interpret it and decide to use it; until then, it’s just data.

Is it reassuring that the sum of human knowledge has been reduced to Ones and Zeros for storage and potential retrieval? How amazingly convenient for us and our survivors.

My generation had to go to these buildings called libraries to access information. We had to search for the book in card files, locate it in row after row of shelves, read it, comprehend it, and apply the information we had just learned.

Now, a computer program does that for us. We call it Artificial Intelligence, or AI; it’s a complex system that interprets and retrieves data based on your request, finds the relevant information, and presents it to you as needed. You’ll understand after you read the referenced article.

I often miss the weight of the book and its smell. It creates a visceral connection to what I’m about to discover when I open it. Do you remember the excitement of a new catalog in the mail? The fun of thumbing through the pages, waiting to find the next new item you can’t live without. Or the joy of discovery as you read. There’s a moment as you read that all those words open the door of understanding – things begin to make sense. You’re actually learning…

We’re no longer responsible for the interpretation; AI and other agencies do that for us. Now we have another excuse for getting it totally wrong, again. We didn’t come to any new conclusions; AI does that for us, too, and continues our programming.

The indoctrination camps we call schools teach us to accept everything we’re told without question. So, it follows that as things are presented on the Altars of Enlightenment (our digital access portals), we take it as truth, without ever considering that it could all be lies.

Alters of Enlightenment, also known as Digital Access Portals, are handheld devices, such as cellphones and tablets, but also encompass our radios, televisions, and any other device we use to access data. These devices are all connected to the same data warehouses and sources that store, process, and present the data for consumption. Every bit of data is interpreted before it’s presented. This is a rabbit-hole that I may jump into someday…

When was the last time you listened to a presentation, absorbed it, considered it, understood it, and decided how to act on it, or are you like most people who take what they’re told as the truth? Do you ever realize that what you see or hear, the content, is carefully crafted and manipulated before it’s presented? Everyone who touches that data includes their personal bias, and frequently the preferences of those who own the broadcasting company or delivery organization. That’s why it’s called PROGRAMMING!

Since this vast amount of raw data is available without affirmation, corroboration, proof, or verification, we have a binary choice: Use it without checking it, or spend the time to validate the data. Do you ever wonder, if what you see or hear is valid or if it’s carefully massaged to present an agenda that supports a partisan narrative of further indoctrination?

Is it cynical to question what we hear after so many years of lies?

The past is prologue.

It’s not just one single instance or even a handful; there are thousands of these misdirection’s as examples in this republic. Merka is the land of deceit and the home of obfuscation, and to many cultures, hypocritical. All of the data on the planet is useless until someone makes sense of it. I reference the staggering amount of available data mentioned a few paragraphs above, but how do we use it?

As far as I can tell, it’s employed and deployed to destroy and control, not to create anything of value. Imagine the advancements for humankind if we stopped trying to undo what someone else has done, all in the furtherance of a political agenda.

The Oxford Dictionary defines politics as: “the activities associated with the governance of a country or other area, especially the debate or conflict among individuals or parties having or hoping to achieve power.” In other words, it refers to the way countries are governed and the methods they use to create rules and laws that manage society.

Merkan’s have a tremendously complex and convoluted legal system, established initially to standardize behavior and create societal guidelines, but it has become a weapon in the partisan political rancor.

In George Washington’s 1796 Farewell Address, he warns that political factions may seek to obstruct the execution of laws to prevent the branches of government from exercising their Constitutional powers. So, 229 years ago, the first president of the United States foresaw this dilemma, warned us about it, and yet here we are living Washington’s admonition, proving that he was right. I don’t imagine he would derive any joy in seeing this caution come to fruition.

A couple of months ago, I wrote an article called “The American Kritocracy,“ in which I suggested that we’ve lost control of our republic to the politically aligned judges who occupy those seats of power. Jurisprudence must be apolitical, i.e., ‘politically unaffiliated’ to function equitably; yet we’re embroiled in a continual conflict of partisan political postures and party passions for unchecked sovereignty. The evidence is blatantly apparent, yet we’re convinced that all is well in the republic, all the while, the melee for mastery marches on. We’re bamboozled by the very mechanism we created to protect us and keep us informed.

The combatants obviously have no interest in the good of everyone or that of the republic; their sole ambition is dominance. ‘One Party to Rule Them All…’ I appropriated this from J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings.” It’s a very long epic fantasy, but a worthwhile read, written by a man with much to say about the world we live in. Tolkien aficionados will appreciate this, if not, more’s the pity. In this trilogy, he deals with world conquest in a place called ‘Middle Earth,’ a metaphor for the Central European conflicts in the post-World War era between 1937 and 1949.

I marvel at the relevance of pre-twenty-first-century literature to modern issues. It seems that these authors had a window into the future, or perhaps it proves the axiom that the more things change, the more they stay the same, or perhaps, as Shakespeare said, “The Past is Prologue.”

These writers have no remarkable clairvoyance or foresight; they’re well aware that mankind is unchanging, immutable, and will continue down the path to perdition: the state of final spiritual and social ruin. Are we indeed predestined to fail, or is this really a matter of choice? But does this mean that we are destined to repeat the history we refuse to acknowledge or comprehend? Apparently, it does since we continue to make the same mistakes. Perhaps, this contributed to Einstein’s definition of insanity… Doing the same thing repeatedly, expecting different results.

This concept is closely tied to the idea of jurisprudence and the need for an equitable system of principles and behavior. When this system deviates from its purpose, which is to provide guardrails for society’s morals and ethics, the culture reflects the breakdown. Society is the mirror of our governance, its effectiveness, and fairness. Considering the discord in our partisan political landscape, I’d say the system is about as broken as it can be, just before it completely fails. Occasional indiscretions raise questions, but continual infractions are seen as seditious and lèse majesté, an insult to the crown or government.

There is a parable about a King named Dionysius and his courtier Damocles. The story revolves around envy and the pursuit of opportunity, accompanied by risk. King Dionysius agrees to allow Damocles to occupy his throne for a day; however, the king suspends a sword above the throne by a single horse-hair while Damocles occupies it. The sword reminds us of the ever-present threat and anxiety rulers face despite the luxury and power they enjoy. But what if in Merka we replace the horsehair with a chain, significantly reducing the risk?

Isn’t that what we’ve done with the selectively applied and multi-tiered legal system as it is today? We have modified the legal system to allow adjustments and deferential treatment for specific and elite clientele, and we’ve weaponized information to support these ends, using the same laws to rationalize, justify, and endorse them, because the ends justify the means.

What are the chances that the chain will fail? About as likely as Merka’s legal system being applied fairly and as intended.

So, which is more important, the letter or the spirit of the law?

The letter of the law refers to its strict application as written, whereas the spirit of the law represents the underlying purpose of the law and its ethical considerations. Ideally, the letter and spirit of the law are aligned; obeying one means respecting the other, yet they frequently conflict. This is where judicial interpretation enters the arena. An impartial judge, someone not politically aligned, will strike a balance; however, a partisan judge will likely follow their own political bias.

The further up the gubmint food chain you are, the less legal culpability you and your subordinates have. Once you’re elected, you can say and do whatever you want with impunity.

The same holds true for those in the media. The truth is immaterial and of no concern due to our supercilious interpretations of the First Amendment, and there are those in the partisan courts who will immobilize the judicial process, rationalizing the intent to allow all manner of disreputable determinations that follow partisan political platforms. This is clearly obstructionism, but that’s politics in Merka.

The Big Bamboozle is the subterfuge, that is, a gimmick or ruse used to evade a rule, escape consequences, or hide something. That’s the theme of this column. The lies are so pervasive that we can’t discern fact from fabrication.

When someone continually lies to you, at some point, you stop believing them, or at least you should, but for some unknown reason, we keep coming back for more. I recognize that people are looking for hope, and in the absence of reality, we opt for fantasy. We want to believe someone, anyone, so desperately that we trust the first voice that panders to our needs. That’s how starved we are…

New York’s mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani is the perfect example. New Yorkers are so bereft of authentic leadership that they are eager to elect anyone with the right promises and a glitzy persona, even an avowed Marxist. This is just another case where people react without thinking.

Merkan’s are looking for salvation, but usually embrace the false prophet. That’s how easily deluded we are. We believe every good story and every promise without investigating the possible consequences. Leap before you look… Sheeple of Merka beware. If it looks like a goat, walks like a goat, and makes noise like a goat… It’s Judas with hooves leading you to slaughter.

This is the Big Bamboozle, and everyone in government and the media is aware of it… They continue to pump out garbage, and we attack every morsel like the truth-starved lapdogs we are, hoping that this time it will be real; but guess what… it never is.

It’s more bullshit!

The list of lies would fill the Library of Congress, the opposite of progress; in fact, that’s where they store them for our use.

I’ll close with this final tidbit from AI.

The question was: How many lies has our government told us?

AI‘s response…

– “It is difficult to quantify the exact number of times any government, including the US government, has “lied” or engaged in deception, as the definition of a “lie” in this context can be subject to interpretation and political disagreement.”

“However, some efforts have been made to track false or misleading statements by specific administrations or individuals, such as The Washington Post’s documentation of over 30,000 such claims during the first term of President Donald Trump.”

Reread the question carefully. I didn’t ask about a specific individual, yet AI returned specific information about one person, from a single media source, ignoring all others.

My articles about AI warn that those who program this marvel interject their biases and prejudices into the algorithms and scripts. Here is proof of my assertion. Had I not been aware of this programmed predisposition, I might have accepted this as fact. Please reread that last sentence.

We are all being lied to every moment of every day by the agencies and tools we created to protect us and service us. These lies are propagated by other organizations we support, like the media, which does the bidding of the Gubmint for money.

Query and response follow unedited ~ How many lies has our government told us?

AI Overview

It is difficult to quantify the exact number of times any government, including the US government, has “lied” or engaged in deception, as the definition of a “lie” in this context can be subject to interpretation and political disagreement.

However, some efforts have been made to track false or misleading statements by specific administrations or individuals, such as The Washington Post’s documentation of over 30,000 such claims during the first term of President Donald Trump.

Throughout US history, there have been several documented instances where the government has been accused of misleading the public on various matters, particularly concerning military interventions and national security, according to Gordon Adams, a professor emeritus at American University’s School of International Service.

Here are a few prominent examples:

* Vietnam War: The Pentagon Papers, a classified study of decision-making regarding Vietnam, revealed that the U.S. government systematically lied about the reality of the war and its progress, according to American University.

* Iraq War: In the lead-up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the Bush administration promoted the narrative that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) and had links to Al-Qaeda, which later proved to be false, according to an article from Daily Kos.

* War in Afghanistan: A Washington Post investigation revealed that senior officials in the Bush, Obama and Trump administrations knew for years that the U.S. intervention in Afghanistan was failing, but told the public it was succeeding, according to an article from American University.

The existence of government secrecy and the potential for abuse of power through the withholding of information remain ongoing concerns for government transparency and accountability advocates.

As Friend Bennett says… “It’s all about the money…”

Bend Over, Here It Comes Again (BOHICA) America…

“What’s Past is Prologue!”

Unabashedly, For the Amalgamated Heavy

I am Charles R Dickens!

July 29, 2025

~ the Author ~
Charles R. Dickens Was Born in 1951, Is a Veteran of the Vietnam War, for Which He Volunteered, and the Great-Great Grandson of the Noted Author, Whose Name He Shares.

He Is a Fiercely Proud American, Who Still Believes This Is the Greatest Country on the Planet, With Which We’ve Lost Control and Certainly Our Direction. He Grew Up in Moderate Financial Surrounding; We’re Not Rich by Any Stretch, but Didn’t Go Hungry – His Incredibly Hard Working Father Saw to That. As Most From That Era, He Learned About Life From His Father, Whose Story Would Take Too Long to Tell, Other Than to Say That, He Is Also a Fiercely Proud American; A WWII and Korean War, Veteran Marine.

Charlie Was Educated in the Parochial System Which, Demanded That You Actually Learn Something, and Have Capability to Retain It Before You Advance. He Attended Several Universities in Pursuit of a Bachelor’s Degree, and Chased the Goose Further to a Master’s, and Has Retained Some Very Definite Ideas About Education in This Country.

in Addition, Charlie Is a Retired Blues Guitar and Vocalist – a Musician. This Was His Therapy Career. Nothing Brings Him as Much Joy as Playing Music, and He Wishes That He Could Make a Living at It… but Alas… Life Goes on!