Daily Topics - Monday August 16th, 2010
By shawnt56
Quote of the Day: Dignify and glorify common labor. It is at the bottom of life that we must begin, not at the top. -- Booker T. Washington
Hour One: Building a Mosque 2 blocks from Ground Zero...is it like putting a "nazi sign on a holocaust museum" according the Right...or is it an opportunity to unite the world as Bush should have done after 9/11 when he chose war instead? Plus, Are companies using your credit score to discriminate against hiring you? Doug Cunningham of Worker's Independent News will be here www.laborradio.org
Hour Two: Cordoba House, China, Jobs...oh my!
Hour Three: Getting goverment out of the jobs bill...like playing baseball without umpires? Thom has a rumble with Don Watkins of the Ayn Rand Institute www.aynrand.org
Comments
#2
Young adults are bailing out of formal religion. There seems to be a disconnection between religion and real life situations. I am disappointed because I do not hear religions speaking out against the insanity of wars. “Jesus speaks sanity to a world of lunatics.” – G. K. Chesterton! Why are our religions silent on America’s immoral and wrong policies and practices toward God’s children?
#3
Sociopaths rule in America!!!
#4
Why???
http://www.opednews.com/articles/WHY-by-DrTruth-100717-134.html
“Age doesn’t always bring wisdom. Sometimes it comes alone.”
That is our problem in the United States of Where Shit Rises to the Top. Many of our politicians are older but they have no wisdom.
#5
"You can please all of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time, but you can't please all of the people all of the time." - A. Lincoln
I thought Obama advidly studied Lincoln, guess he missed that quote, or at least misunderstood what he meant.
N
#6
#7
#8
What if!
Why do we have lunatics running our asylums in Washington, D. C.?
http://original.antiwar.com/engelhardt/2010/08/15/what-if-washington%e2%80%a6/
#9
We must live by and practice the Golden Rule!!! DO UNTO TO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD WANT THEM TO DO UNTO YOU!!!
#10
Perhaps there isn't monuments to the Japanese in Pearl Harbor, but we haven't banned Japanese Embassies since then, we haven't banned Buddist temples. Along the WWI Trench lines in France there are (though they are few) monuments to dead German Soldiers. Countries learn to move on, and the animosity and hate of yesterday cannot be allowed to rule today, or we would forever be doomed endless wars, not unlike generations of family feuds in Appalachia.
N
#11
Depleted Uranium
Scientists are going to study depleted uranium and its effect on the American population. As depleted uranium filters into Iraqi oil, many gallons of Iraqi oil will be brought to America to help America continue her gluttonous ways.
As the depleted uranium is let out through exhaust fumes, it will be in the air and on land for 4 billion years causing many, many health problems in the years to come. Americans will die, become sick, and babies will be born deformed. America’s environment will be deadly for 4 billion years.
Insurance companies will be happy because there will be no need for insurance. Born in America will mean that you have a pre-existing condition and you are not entitled to health coverage.
America’s attack upon Iraq will bring forth unintended consequences. Terrorism will come to America through Bush’s policies and exhaust fumes from Iraqi oil. Bush’s non-scientist board will say to not worry about Iraqi oil. It is safe. Right!
Project for a New American Century will be elated because their goal of a planet with only 500 million people will be well underway.
#12
Thom should ask rightwing callers if we should put the stoppers on Christian churches whenever Christians blow up women's health centers or abortion clinics. Christians commit violence in the name of Jesus Christ, but it's not popular to condemn Christianity or to not allow them to build yet another church wherever they want.
#13
@Jeanie, hits a home run!
#14
Delay off the hook. WTF???????????????????
16 Aug 2010 // Washington, D.C. - In response to the Justice Department’s decision not to prosecute disgraced former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX), Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) Executive Director Melanie Sloan released the following statement:
“It’s a sad day for America when one of the most corrupt members to ever walk the halls of Congress gets a free pass. As we continue the work of building a Washington that is worthy of the American people, the Justice Department’s decision not to prosecute Mr. DeLay for his actions sends exactly the wrong message to current and future members. The fact that Jack Abramoff and Bob Ney (R-OH) are the only two people who went to prison for one of the worst corruption scandals in congressional history is shocking. The Hammer belongs in the slammer. Mr. DeLay still has crimes to answer for in Texas – generally not considered the best place to be a criminal defendant.”
#15
It's not as if the building being built is the Al Queda Recruitment Center (regardless of what the rightwing nuts say). Why are rightwing people so afraid of everything? Except what they should be afraid of (American jobs being sent overseas, the destruction of the middle class, our deliberate creation of enemies worldwide by our actions, etc.) It almost makes me think that the right wingers aren't the brightest.
#16
Gawd I'm sick of people talking about flag burning, mostly because that is the official way to dispose of an American Flag. Have pictures at an Elks picnic where a ceremony was done and retired flags were thrown into a pit of fire. The G-D Elks, a mostly conservative minded men's club. For petes sake if you want to desecrate the flag, let it touch the ground, soil it on purpose, etc... but stop whining about flag burning, it's not even happening at protests or the like. Morons.
Anyway that's my pet peeve rant, for all those out there that lie awake at night with images of burning flags keeping them awake.
N
#17
@Jeanie is on a roll!
#18
@Thom - Ask the righties about the size of their cigars.
#19
From Tom Lehrer: The Catholics hate the Protestants, and the Protestants hate the Catholics, and the Moslems hate the Hindus, and everyone hates the Jews;
But not in National Brotherhood Week, National Brotherhood Week, Lena Horne and Sheriff Clark are dancing cheek to cheek,
<omitted stuff> ...
Step up and shake the hand of someone you can't stand; it's only for a week so have no fear, just be glad it doesn't last all year!
#20
@Maxrot: All I can tell those idiots is do we burn the Constitution to save the flag?
#21
Tom DeLay is not being prosecuted?????? What????????????????
Another great result of keeping Bush's Justice Dept. intact.
#22
We should remember the Eleventh Commandment that was given to us by Jesus at the Last Supper. LOVE ONE ANOTHER AS I HAVE LOVED YOU!
The fight over the mosque says much about our hatred and lies that are rampant in the United States of Mortal Sin. Hatred is a sin against the Fifth Commandment. Lies are a sin against the Eighth Commandment.
#23
That was a good point that caller made about Obama not being the non-official leader of Islam. It would be equivalent of saying David Koresh, or Jim Jones are non-official leaders of Christianity. In reality, in all these cases, these megalomaniacs are aberrations, they are more or less the wolf in sheeps' clothing.
N
#24
But Charlie Rangle is being run out on a rail. What the hell is wrong?
#25
@Gene, Catholics have too many problems within herself to concentrate on other people and religions.
#26
Actually the NAZI's were not a nation, they were a political party (a very warped political party, but a political party non-the-less). Not all NAZI's were German, not all Germans were NAZI's. Japan is a whole 'nother story too. Also is it really illegal to have a NAZI symbol next to the Holocaust museum, I can understand it being reprehensible, and disgusting, but is it illegal? I thought that such hate speech was protected under the constitution.
N
#27
Howard Zinn wrote the history of the Ludlow massacre in Colorado. I knew nothing of this union struggle until buying "A Peoples History of the United States." It should be required reading.
#28
I don't recall that a group of athiests has ever started a war.
#29
I read about that incident when I was killing time in a library a couple of years ago. It happened early on in Wilson's presidency (I think the book I was reading was about Woodrow Wilson). He caught a lot of flak for it too. National Guard killed men women and children. Labor struggles were no walk in the park back then, there no walk in the park now, but labor seems far less willing to go the distance (which I don't know I can blame them or not).
N
#30
Have I missed Thom making the obvious Libertarians want to smoke dope and get laid joke inherant in this Rand Paul story?
I mean talk about low hanging fruit.
N
#31
It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque. It is NOT a Mosque.
It is a Community Center.
#32
WHAT?!?!? President Obama?!?!? Not standing up for principles?!?!? Who woulda thunk it? . . . Standard Operating Procedure for our great DLC President.
AND
President Obama is NOT a liberal.
#33
rladlof, I wondered if you thought it was a mosque or not. You tend to beat around the bush a lot.
#34
I was wondering if anyone asked if all of Gibb's crying about the evil liberals has watered-down his drinks?
#35
When we talk about sacred ground, what about Native American sacred ground that we build on top of? Didn't we also build our base in Iraq on holy ground and laugh at the Muslims for being outraged at that? Why do we think we can have it both ways? And an EXCELLENT point by Thom about strip clubs and tattoo parlors in the vicinity with absolutely no outrage by the Right.
#36
@ Jeanie RE "Thom should ask rightwing callers if we should put the stoppers on Christian churches whenever Christians blow up women's health centers or abortion clinics. Christians commit violence in the name of Jesus Christ, but it's not popular to condemn Christianity or to not allow them to build yet another church wherever they want.":
Sooth spoken.
#37
@Maxrot #29: The Ludlow massacre was in 1914. The strikers cheered when they saw the National Guard coming. It wasn't what they expected - the mine company goons and the National Guard shot into the tent city set up by strikers. Men, women, children - if it moved, it was a target.
#38
Unregulated growth is the economic equal to cancer.
#39
I know this is off topic, but is anyone here heard of Bill HR 875, The Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009. A friend of mine was talking about it yesterday, and all I can find on it is a lot of right wingers claiming that it will make growing food in your backyard illegal. The most interesting thing I find in the commentary is that they point out that the Democratic congresswomen that introduced the bill is the wife of a Monsanto exec. It seems that one of two things are happening here, either these commentators have progressive mind sets and think that the conservative party is some sort of protector of the common man, or they are playing to the fears of people and are using the bogyman to get their support. Anyway, I'm researching this stuff online (can't even tell if the Bill passed or not yet), but thought I'd ask all the well informed bloggers here if they knew anything about it. (Wish foodfacsist was on today).
N
#40
Obama should stick to his principals. There is no reasoning or debating with these right wing idiots, because they only REACT to their fear and anxieties. they are not capable of intellectual thinking or using logic. of course they are going to trash Obama for standing up for the right of the Muslims to practice their religion and their right to build a Mosque on private property. they would also trash him if he OPPOSED the Mosque. doesn't he get it? if Obama cured cancer the right would trash him for taking away business from physicians and drug companies.
the right will hate him no matter what he does. so he needs to stand up, look them in the eye, do what is right and WELCOME THEIR HATE.
#41
I like what David said (it's too long for a bumper sticker but...) "Oppose Foreign-Owned eXtremist News!" I wonder if that's a bit cryptic though.
#42
@THOM!!!!!
Are you saying that Osama bin Laden will be Newt Gingrich’s next wife? The serial wife-recycler is known for marrying whoever he is bedding behind his current wife’s back and if he is in bed with Osama . . .
#43
Perhaps the closest comparison I can make to putting a Muslim Community Center near Ground Zero, would be putting a planned parenthood center across the street from an abortion clinic, then present the planned parenthood ambiguously so that some women seeking an abortion enter the planned parenthood facility instead and get a ton of anti-abortion pressure. I think the right wing conservatives could identify the similarities, and we could then step back and watch their heads explode as they try to reason why one is insensitive and is a religion attacking innocent people and the other is a Mosque.
N
#44
Is that common statement "It took a wheelbarrow of money to buy a loaf of bread in Weimar Germany" even true? As I understand it, its a reference to a dark joke at the time, that a women went to a store with a wheelbarrow full of money to buy a loaf a bread. When she got there she couldn't get the wheelbarrow through the door. She left the wheelbarrow and money outside to get the grocer. When she came out, much to her chagrin, the wheelbarrow had been stolen, but the money was left in pile.
It was basically pointing out the worthlessness of the German Mark at the time, but I wonder if there is actual truth to it. I mean why wouldn't you exchange the single Marks for larger denominations to make your transaction?
N
#45
Obama waffles so much, I think he takes syrup showers (to caller Jose).
N
#46
17 or 19 "Crazies"? Is THAT who attacked us? If we don't stand up to the big lie, right here, right now, then it's game over, just stick out that arm and let's have that RFID then, and just say "Zieg Hiel" to the shadow government that overthrew our own on 9/11, say hello to total global domination. It's too bad what happened to those guys back at the beginning of the 21st Century, they were too afraid to stand up to the deceit, too afraid of how they looked in front of the others. It may have been 19 "patsies" on that day, but trust me, not a one of them ever flew a plane into a building. Read my blog on page 2 of August 12th, near the end, for details.
#47
would it make any difference if the proposed building were a mosque, Christian church or cathedral, Buddhist temple, a synagogue, or a shrine to Bacchus?
Another item which comes up frequently on Thom's program is the Supreme Court decision giving personhood to corporations and the expected tons of money which will be unleashed in the November election. It will take years to combat this with a constitutional amendment and it should be attempted. But, if the Democrats have any sense, while they still hold a majority and the White House, they could pass a law reinstituting the Fairness Doctrine for TV and radio broadcasting requiring the station selling time to the corporations to open their airwave to opposing views of the political ads they sell.
Further, the music on the program needs refreshment to something new.
Thom's Blog Is On the Move
By webmaster
Hello All
Thom's blog in this space and moving to a new home.
Please follow us across to hartmannreport.com - this will be the only place going forward to read Thom's blog posts and articles.
Images of Thom
From Screwed:
"The powers that be are running roughshod over the powers that OUGHT to be. Hartmann tells us what went wrong — and what you and I can do to help set American right again."
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"Thom Hartmann ought to be bronzed. His new book sets off from the same high plane as the last and offers explicit tools and how-to advice that will allow you to see, hear, and feel propaganda when it's directed at you and use the same techniques to refute it. His book would make a deaf-mute a better communicator. I want him on my reading table every day, and if you try one of his books, so will you."
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"With the ever-growing influence of corporate CEOs and their right-wing allies in all aspects of American life, Hartmann’s work is more relevant than ever. Throughout his career, Hartmann has spoken compellingly about the value of people-centered democracy and the challenges that millions of ordinary Americans face today as a result of a dogma dedicated to putting profit above all else. This collection is a rousing call for Americans to work together and put people first again."
Do We Remember
Do any of us remember 1995 and the conservative crazies taking control of the House and Senate? They wanted to pass an amendment making Christianity the religion for the United States of Satan’s Disciples. Here are crazy people who know nothing of Jesus Christ and His Heart filled with love, mercy, and forgiveness.
They do not know the words of Mahatma Gandhi, “I like your Jesus, it is your Christians I do not like.” or the words of G. K. Chesterton, “It’s not that Christianity has been tried and failed. It’s that Christianity has ever been tried.”
We are fifteen years later into history and Christianity is in a free fall.
According to the 2009 American Religious Identification Survey, the number of Americans who claim no religious affiliation has nearly doubled since 1990, rising from 8 to 15 percent. Overall, the percentage of self-identified Christians has fallen 10 percentage points since 1990, from 86 to 76 percent.
The proportion of Americans who think religion "can answer all or most of today's problems" is now at a historic low of 48 percent. Meanwhile, the number of people willing to describe themselves as atheist or agnostic has increased nearly fourfold from 1990 to 2009, from 1 million to about 3.6 million.
How can this be? It is easy once you understand the American psyche. American Numb Nuts have a brain and a heart that are filled hated, corruption, and lies. We have Americans screwing fellow Americans. We cannot even trust our own people to show love, mercy, and forgiveness to fellow Americans.
The United States of Mortal Sin is also in a free fall into the abyss of hell.
Unless we believe in Jesus and His words as a guide for eternal life, we will be choosing eternal pain and suffering. Jesus and His words are the answer for salvation.
Here are some beautiful words from the Holy Bible to help us to be with Jesus and His communion of saints in heaven.
Read Matthew 25:31-46! When you do it to the least of my brethren, you do it for me.
Read Matthew 5:1-12! The beatitudes!
Read Luke 10:25-37! Who is my neighbor?
Read Luke 12:13-21! These verses warn us against greed.
http://www.opednews.com/articles/Exodus-Is-the-Christian-c-by-Rakesh-Krishnan-Si-100812-221.html
Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness and a person is guilty of an eternal sin. Blasphemy is showing contempt or lack of reverence for God. Since Jesus is the Son of God, a person who is showing contempt and lack of reverence for Jesus, commits an eternal sin and never has forgiveness. Irreverence to God damns a person’s soul.
What we are seeing evolve from blasphemy, the unforgiveable sin, damns American souls for eternity!
In our home while I was growing up where two pictures. In the living room was a picture of Jesus sitting on top of a hill and looking down into the city. His head was down and He appeared saddened as He looked upon the city. Was He seeing into the future where human beings would experience endless pain and suffering? The second picture was, as persons entered our home, a picture of Jesus standing at the door of a home knocking. On Jesus’ side there was no doorknob. The only doorknob was from inside the home. We were the persons who could open the door for Jesus to enter our home.
Are we willing to let Jesus enter our lives and our hearts? Are we willing to emulate Jesus through knowing His words in the New Testament of the Holy Bible? Or, are we willing to follow false prophets who will lead us into the abyss of hell?
We have choices and with choices there are consequences. We can choose eternal life or eternal pain and suffering. Following Jesus will give us eternal life! If we follow false prophets, we will have eternal pain and suffering.