Bowman, I couldn't agree with you more on the FED, the IRS. To a strict constructionist like me, they are indeed unconstitutional, not to mention being the single biggest drag on our economy.

But I find the notion of the Titanic being used purposely to eliminate opposition to the FED to be highly, highly unlikely. As I mentioned before, there doesn't seem to be any solid evidence that Astor, Guggenheim, Straus, and the other millionaires aboard were even opposed to the FED in the first place. And since Isidor Straus was offered a seat in a lifeboat by one of the Titanic's officers, it doesn't appear to have been a well-conducted scheme, if that was the case. As I've also pointed out earlier, Guggenheim didn't have the capital to oppose the FED, and Astor's wealth was mainly tied up in real estate.

The claim by the original poster that Captain E.J. Smith was a Jesuit is false. He was a Methodist, and last time I checked, the Jesuits allow only Catholics to become brothers. I don't think it's likely that he took orders from anyone while in command of a ship.

I don't dispute the fact that plenty of decisions are made by powerful people behind closed doors, but these people are governed by logic--that's why they're powerful. And to cause a horrifically expensive and unnecessary disaster simply to pass a bill is not logical, whether one belongs to a secret sinister organization or not.

People do indeed tend to believe whatever makes them comfortable; that's human nature. I'm just one of those people who is guided by logic and facts--that's simply how I was trained to operate and that's what makes me comfortable.

All the Best,
Steve