Permit me to begin by saying, if you don't believe that America is becoming an empire headed by a powerful, but mindless, "Caesar", sign this off and go watch TV. But if you believe that this possibility may be true, please stick around a bit longer and have your doubts confirmed.

The information I'm going to give you is something I didn't dream up. It is based on facts gathered by "Joe American."  Joe American is the nom de plume of a current elected official in a fairly high position who writes heavily-researched articles exposing our present government for what it really is. His name and address must remain anonymous for fear of retribution, but this we do know:  he was honorably discharged from the U.S. armed forces, serving as a law enforcement officer, and he knows the secret of population distraction, hence control.

Joe American's case for America disintegrating into an empire---and then disappearing altogether---produces some remarkable similes to the demise of past empires. And the evidence is indisputable. Now what, you may ask, can we look for as a sign of an emerging empire-one that in time will collapse?

Watch for schmoozing. Schmoozing is when the powers in charge begin to subtly "con" the people with distracting visions of either Fun or Fear, depending on which method best serves their evil agenda.

Roman emperors, Joe American tells us, went the "fun" route. "They understood the importance of 'bread and circus.'  They knew that keeping the nation in a perpetual state of war, supplying cheap bread, and giving them spectator games in the Coliseum, would keep them happily distracted This enabled the emperors to rule with an iron hand and no one would complain. It worked for nearly 500 years, while all that time the Roman people thought they were "free." So much for "fun."

As for fear, heads of government schmooze the population in a different way: they use cooked-up excuses, declarations of emergencies or pending disasters, anticipated attacks or invasions. Once people become anxious or frightened, a story of "needed protection" is concocted, and they begin passing legislation giving the "leader" authority to rule by decree. The fear technique is used by tyrants, not to entertain, but to mesmerize the citizens and keep them off balance to conceal the government's real motives or intentions

One classic con-job of induced fear was perpetrated by Adolph Hitler, head of the Nazi Party who became Chancellor of the German Weimar Republic on January 30,1933. A few weeks later, the Reichstag (Germany's congressional building and Congress) was destroyed by what was determined to be a deliberately set and fast-moving fire. Next day, the newspapers said: "This act of incendiarism is the most monstrous act of terrorism carried out by Communists in Germany. The government is of the opinion that the situation is such that a danger to the state and nation exists." So, Reichstag passed the "Enabling Act" which gave Hitler the authority to rule by decree, and a dictator was born.

Today, the same schmoozing is going on, and the American public is mostly unaware of it. It began with the World Trade Center tragedy in 2001 that killed 3,000 people. Joe American puts it this way: "Like the Reichstag fire in Germany which enabled Hitler to become a dictator, the destruction of the World Trade Center occurred soon after George Bush was sworn into office as President, and provided a pretext for changing the nature of our government, in much the same manner as Hitler changed Germany."

Right after the WTC tragedy, this administration's schmoozing of the American public began. The USA Patriot Act became law, with virtually no discussion by Congress. This was followed by the Homeland Security Act---created by President Bush's executive order. Bush, of course, declaring that these new laws are necessary in fighting the "war on terrorism." Recipe for dictatorship.

Follow that with "The John Warner Defense Authorization Act", and "The Real ID Act" (to go into effect January1,2008) and you have everything in place for a Presidential declaration of Martial Law. But President Bush schmoozes us by saying: "This landmark legislation (Homeland Security), the most extensive reorganization of the Federal Government since the 1940's, will help our nation meet the emerging threats of terrorism in the 21st Century."  Dictatorship coming alive.

Never mind that these "landmark" laws also negate our privacy, infringe on our freedoms, create a totalitarian state, and make a mockery of our Constitution and Bill of Rights, thereby threatening the very foundation of our nation. Dictatorship on fast forward.

But don't take it from Joe American. Or me. Thomas Jefferson said: "Experience hath shown than even the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny,"

Are you ready to bow down to a dictator, or stand up for your rights and your freedom?