April 15th 2009

Topic: "Think Like a Champion: How to Succeed in Business and in Life" Thom speaks with Donald Trump www.trump.com & www.trumpuniversity.com
Topic: "Obama Deception" Thom confronts Alex Jones about his latest documentary and his stints on Fox News www.infowars.com
Topic: "Everything You Know is Wrong" Members of the Firesign Theater join Thom to talk about the "Box of Danger" and what it what it means to move "Forward Into the Past" www.firesigntheater.com
Comments
Go to Google and do a keyword search for "Obama tax rate 95%" (or similar)...
You'll find (with the exception of the link to the barackobama.com) pages and pages of conservative sites and articles attacking the tax policies of the President. I'm assuming that the teabaggers (I can't believe we're actually saying that, btw) are making these links rise to the surface through their "research" inspired by Hannity, Beck, Limbaugh, etc.
The financial world is crumbling
On our heads with a thump
Where can we find inspiration?
Just look to Donald Trump
We call ourselves progressives
But unsure where to look
Where can we find inspiration?
Donald Trump has a book!
He's such a font of wisdom
With style and such aplomb
If we can call him “The Donald”
Can we call you “The Thom”?
Phenomenal simulcast! I actually really love the Alex Jones cds I own though I do not listen to his radio show and we have assurances here in Sacramento the Fort Mc Clellan he says has an internment camp is not so. However, I think Alex Jones is polite and is intellectually honest, and when given a format does present cogent reasoning for why and how he encapsulates his message.
I am ecstatic at the thought that Alex Jones listeners would coalesce with Hartmann listeners. I screened Iraq for sale at our little organic food coop and a few car loads of Alex Jones listeners drove about 20-30 miles to come join us and said that Alex had given out the Brave New Films link on air and said they should come join us to watch the screenings all across the nation. His listeners were very responsible and intelligent people and we enjoyed having them.
PS B Roll- rock out - great poem Trump just filed for his 3rd bankruptcy that ba#$%d.
Point taken Andrew Jackson,
"I would love to pay more taxes,"
Listening to Alex Jone is like watching a twister and WONDERING where it will touch down next. To spout off, without facts or evidence that will 'standup' in a court of law, can ownly fuel or fan the flames. What we need is adult talk to motivate true 'change', not form a linch mod that gets us NO-WHERE fast. Like tea bags, good for making a cup of tea, but dosen't work for making Gov't change- We need to 'Grow-up' and stop entertaining WRACK jobs.
Wow! Thom AND Alex Jones. GREAT!
But I missed the first two thirds of the segment. Can it be heard online someplace after the show?
Thanks for what I DID hear!
Not yet a knowledgeable blogger but here goes. I tried (!!) to listen to Alex and I suddenly became very emotional and down. I'm not (yet) at a place when I can or even want to critique Obama's every move or what people "think" he is doing! I hate negativity on these lines. Can we please give this young man a chance to even try to prove himself first? Calling things lies, lies, lies......ad infinitum adnauseum is a bit much! (That's for whomever Alex is.)
Thom right now at this point in history with all that's going on and with this new president could we focus more on the good he is doing (and trying to do)? Please! I have stopped listening to some (i.e., on cable) because suddenly Obama is so "bad" with all he's done as if he's responsible for all things bad economically since Reagan took office. He's only been in office less than 100 days for goodness sake! Maybe he has to work from a different angle than he ever dreamed. We don't know. He can't spell it all out yet so maybe we have to wait and watch. If he's doing SO poorly, write to him or call him yourself and advise. He PROMISED to listen if we would only send him a note. Why make us unsure of him when we need to believe and hope? I was thrilled when he was elected, and I've stayed there except day by day many of you are chipping on him to the point that I'm even turning off the radio which ran round the clock, especially at night. I HAD to "kill" Alex and you today as I was getting in such a funk I couldn't bear it. I also could not believe it. Why not just have a visit with Rush Limbaugh? Alex reminds me of him. I know he's conservative so why mix your listeners up right now. Perhaps soften your views on what you fear and keep the hope flowing at least for a time. Would that be possible? If not, I'll be turning off the ever-running radio and watch my science shows again!
Underneath all that's going on with our new president are SO many things to juggle, so many people conversing with him telling him what to do or not, and on and on he's still sorting and sifting would be my best guess.
Just give this Obama family (this includes Michelle who is even taking heat for not using pesticides in her garden) a bit of time. I doubt criticism hits Obama too hard, but what about his wife (she can take it). What about his little girls? Can they take it if they accidentally hear all this carping about their daddy? They WILL hear it. Speak truth. Walk softly around your "ideas" and feelings and GUESSES as to what Obama is doing. W
Somehow my note above came to "the end" as my note posted unedited. You should have a way to at least allow us to read and decide if we want our notes to go. Don't just snatch and post. I'm wanted to take out parts of my note above here and reword it. Now it has to sit. The dangling "W" is for whatever, I do not know. It startled me when I was taken to the box here! Shoot.
I just NEED (as do most people with any sensitivity right now) to feel I can trust my president to be doing his very best. I will write to him as often as I can. But just go a bit easier on him. He's got so many advisors with as many ideas. And for anyone who thinks Obama is so bad, why not go try to do his job for at least a week? Hmmmm? THIS IS A GREAT MAN, and given half a chance he just may surprise you. I know you believe a lot in him, but you have more and more doubt creeping in weekly/daily! You have NO idea how this affects people like me. I'm a Depression "baby"!!! I had a Victory Garden. I remember Roosevelt. I remember all that followed.
I am beginning to wonder if a lot of people want Bush back in office! There's a thought. Beginning to sound like MANY would appreciate having McCain in office. How about that? I'll leave radio and parts of cable news OFF if I hear personal opinions without explanations that it is just that, an opinion, not a fact. When people talk over each other we don't always here what is meant. But today was a huge disappointment to me, and I won't listen to this. I'll go back to my Wayne Dyer's methods of "what you think you are" or "what you say/fear you WILL have." Positive thoughts WILL win just as negative ones. Why not put forth the positive in such times as these (and keep it up when we heal up)?
Thanks Thom. I do enjoy your show, just be careful with the "Alex" type people and be sure to help us know your opinions are not truths or facts. Okay? :o)
Lindsay
P.S. I got to run spell check and edit this part. Not responsible for how the first part of my note turned out. PLEASE add the ability to read and correct our entries before it is whisked away like mine just was. Thanks.
Well, I survived the Tea Party!
Yes, my sister and I attended the tea party with our own signs! Some wondered why we were there but were told to all views were ok. Most people were polite. There was one other person with 'Bring the Troops Home now' and 'Get rid of the Federal Reserve' that was on our 'side'.
We spoke to a few, shared some views. They didn't accept that our media is corporate propaganda and biased - all news is 'lefty' biased except Fox,
Our signs: Stop Corporate Loopholes, The only thing trickling down is poo, 65% of businesses pay no taxes, Obama is spending on USA! Socialism = police, courts, FD, etc.
The sings we saw: Of the elite, by the elite, for the elite, you're FIRED!
Enough is Enough
Say no to socialism
As government expands liberty contracts
I am not your ATM
Irresponsible, Reckless, Spending
We ar passing this debt onto our kids! Why?
Don't tax me, Bro!
Get rid of ACORN corruption!
My dollars are transparent, all that's left is change!
We want liberty no debt
B O Spending O Shit
Don't tread on me.
Honk if I pay your mortgage!
T'd off Enough Already. No more taxes
(circle crossed) Obamanomics, (check mark) Reaganonmics
8500 Earmarks
Next time read the bill
Repeal the pork or your bacon is cooked
Don't bail out the boat, fix the leak!
I am only 16 and $3600 in debt!
Lay off taxes/ Save jobs
Hard working taxpaying Americans - the silent majority no more!
Stop the change!
Elizabeth Warren is on the congressional bank oversight panel. She was on Morning Joe today and said she wants more transparency, the way Sweden examined its foundering bank system. Otherwise, she says we are going the same way as the Japanese and their "lost decade" (actually 14 years!) Here's the video:
Well, I survived the Tea Party!
Yes, my sister and I attended the tea party with our own signs! Some wondered why we were there but were told to all views were ok. Most people were polite. There was one other person with 'Bring the Troops Home now' and 'Get rid of the Federal Reserve' that was on our 'side' that we knew of.
We spoke to a few, shared some views. They didn't accept that our media is corporate propaganda and biased - all news is 'lefty' biased except Fox,
Our signs: Stop Corporate Loopholes, The only thing trickling down is poo, 65% of businesses pay no taxes, Obama is spending on USA! Socialism = police, courts, FD, etc.,
Stop Hate .
The signs we saw: Of the elite, by the elite, for the elite, you're FIRED!
Enough is Enough
Say no to socialism
As government expands liberty contracts
I am not your ATM
Irresponsible, Reckless, Spending
We are passing this debt onto our kids! Why?
Don't tax me, Bro!
Get rid of ACORN corruption!
My dollars are transparent, all that's left is change!
We want liberty not debt
B O Spending O Shit
Don't tread on me.
Honk if I pay your mortgage!
T'd off Enough Already. No more taxes
(circle crossed) Obamanomics, (check mark) Reaganonmics
8500 Earmarks
Next time read the bill
Repeal the pork or your bacon is cooked
Don't bail out the boat, fix the leak!
I am only 16 and $3600 in debt!
Lay off taxes/ Save jobs
Hard working taxpaying Americans - the silent majority no more!
Stop the change!
Keep Government out of business
Obama - read the Constitution
American Dream RIP Taxed to Death
Freemarket not freeloaders
$11 trillion and counting
Say YES to Capitalism
(other anti Socialist messages)
We were told by various people:
40% of Americans pay no taxes!
$60,000 a year and no taxes for a family!
Social programs are for immigrants
Obama has gone back on all his promises!
Obama has done nothing about the immigrant problem
Pork as neighborhood projects is a lie
They do blame Congress for some of this mess!
Obama lied about providing bill to be read.
Obama lied about pork added to bill.
There were a lot of people there for a work day --- men, women and children. This was in a Republican neighborhood and many 'high end' cars were driving by. Someone was passing out flags - maybe to get a count. Didn't count the people but there was probably close to 100 or more. It was from 11:30 to 1:30.
This is so distressing -- Farmers are committing suicide in large numbers...
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/1500-farmers-commit-mass-su...
RE Lindsay's comments above: Lindsay-- Watch Alex Jones' "Obama Deception" before you think there is time to just let some of the new president's decisions go unchallenged. Some of the folks surrounding Obama are the creators of alot of rotten stuff (like Kissinger and Bzrezinski) and as corrupt and megalomaniacal as folks like Tom Delay and Karl Rove (like Rahm Emanuel and Bernanke).
Plus, we know perfectly well what works to get a nation out of a collapsed bubble economy that becomes a depression -- it was done in the 1930s by FDR. But Obama acts like all we have to do is tweek the existing deregulation/anti-worker/tax-freeElite program instituted by Reagan/BushOne/Clinton/BushTwo and cutback what he refers to as "entitlements" (Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid) of the general population. If we just sit back and say "give Obama some slack, he's new" -- how much more damage will be done? We must not be push-overs to the Corporate Elite and the rich just because Obama is such a pleasant guy and super rhetor.
The phrases that we need to "tax the wealthy" and "income redistribution" are bothersome in that they imply 'take (steal) from the rich and give to the poor'. But, this can be reframed within the context "pay the middle class more so they can share more in the tax burden". It should never be forgotten that the recent wealth of the 'wealthy' was at the expense of 'their' economic policies to keep middle class incomes down, that is, a sophisticated 'take (steal) from the poor, to give to the rich'. I would love to pay more taxes, to assume more economic responsibility of our social obligations. Pay me more and I will. The Republicans should take a hard look at the desirability of a wealthier middle class to offset the tax burden on the wealthy and to initiate economic polices to support this.