I suspect I am not the only one who fears history may possibly be repeating itself.

During the waning years of the Weimar Republic in post-WWI Germany, the democratic forces were dealt a blow by corporate power through the rise of the Nazi Party, which did not even enjoy a majority in the Reichstag. They depended on the support of other small parties.

As in the 30s and 40s in Weimar Germany, fascist, corporatist power is growing more powerful thanks to nativist and bigoted passions in our country, and corporations today, as they did in the later Weimar years, are taking advantage of it.

Similar fascistic and corporatist movements were occuring all over Europe and even in America.

What truly saddens me is that there are forces on the other side of the political spectrum who could eventually take advantage of corporatist overreach, promoting social revolution not just in America, but all over the world where corporations are abusing the middle class and wage-slave workers.

Tragically, and ironically, the revolution that hurts those most vulnerable in our society would also impact the elite, or at least force them to flee to their palatial safe havens, as they have done over the past two centuries. Most every revolution (the American revolution being the notable exception) eats its own children, and the ruling corporatist hierarchy and their stooges and their naive backers in the political trenches will, alas, be a part of the casualties and destruction.

All lose in such revolutions.

Add to this the need for a united world response to our increasingly international challenges ... this is no time for corporatist greed and self-interest to reign. The exact opposite is needed.

I thank you, Thom, for your frequent use of Franklin Roosevelt quotes in your radio program. It is a reminder that what was once beaten back in the 30s and 40s can be beaten back in these darkening days.

This great man helped our nation steer clear of Fascist and Bolshevist extremes. We need our current centrist president to stand up and be another progressive Franklin Roosevelt. Of course, I'm not the only one suggesting this. It's been mentioned on your radio program and in a number of newspaper columns.

We need to communicate this wisdom to our President, the man who, for at least two years, will stand between our version of the Weimar Republic and the abyss of either Fascism or social and political revolution.

We need to let him know that we stand behind him, if he does stand up to corporate interests. And we need to let him know that we are standing up as well inour own spheres of influence.

I suggest all centrists and social democrats and progressives and environmentalists and human rights advocates give our president our two cents' worth ...

... no, make that our ten cents's worth.

That is, I propose millions of Americans who've been disenfranchised and disempowered by corporatist political shenangians and propaganda -- the evil arts of manipulation perfected by Hitler, Goebbels, Mussolini, Pravda, Lenin, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, Murdoch, Atwater, Tompkins, Rove, et al -- should send a dime to President Obama.

Just a dime.

A coin featuring our nation's political savior in the 1930s and 1940s.

Send no written message. But send a powerful visual message of support ... and commitment of oneself. As you so often say, Thom, we cannot simply defer to our leaders. We must be leaders ourselves.

We need our President to be another Franklin Roosevelt. (Heck, I'd be happy if we had the other Roosevelt in our White House just now to break the corporate monopoly of resources and power.)

We also need to be Roosevelts in our own spheres.

I am sending my dime today.

Thank you for all you do, Thom.

P. Leonard Jarvis

I think the right wing will be so extreme that they will turn off the electorate, and not just those of us who listen to Thom, and this could very well be the beginning of the end for them, and their Tea Party acolytes.

Or we end up with Dictator Rand Paul.

I think you are too optimistic Thom. In Obama's speech this morning Obama looked beaten. He spoke about trying to work with business more and how America's economic power came from the (imaginary) "free market."

I believe what is going to happen is that the international corporate powers will increase it's purchasing of the Democratic party. The Republican party is completely owned so buying the Democrats is the next logical move and should not cost too much.

They will adopt the Teaparty agenda. How else can they continue to attract some of the flood of corporate money.

Our only hope is a grass roots movement to undue Citizens United decision.

Thom,

I am writing to ask you to interview Scott A. Bonn (author, professor, consultant and media critic and expert) on the lies and crimes of the Bush Administration before next week when George Bush’s book of rewritten history comes out.

"Mass Deception: Moral Panic and the U.S. War on Iraq" by Scott A. Bonn, Ph.D. Rutgers University Press. Why did George W. Bush really invade Iraq? Is he a war criminal? "Mass Deception," the critically acclaimed new book from Scott Bonn, argues that the George W. Bu...sh administration manufactured public support for war on Iraq by falsely claiming that Saddam Hussein was involved in the terrorist attacks of 9/11, and that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction which it intended to use against the U.S. In this book, Professor Bonn critiques the war and occupation of Iraq as violations of both U.S. and international laws. Bonn meticulously explains why, despite committing war crimes, the Bush administration enjoys both political and bureaucratic exemptions from prosecution under international law and, therefore, is unlikely to ever be held accountable for its actions. He also examines the real motivations of George W. Bush for invading Iraq—that is, emotional, ideological and pragmatic (business) factors—which had nothing to do with U.S. security. Bonn introduces a unique, integrated, and interdisciplinary theory called “critical communication” to explain how and why political elites and the news media periodically create public panics that benefit both parties. Through quantitative analysis of public opinion polls and news media coverage of presidential rhetoric pre- and post-9/11, Bonn explains that the events leading up to the Iraq war constituted a moral panic engineered by the Bush administration with the support of a compliant U.S. news media. Mass Deception connects propaganda and distortion efforts by the Bush administration to more general theories of elite deviance and state crime. Bonn is Assistant Professor of Sociology at Drew University in Madison, New Jersey. Professor Bonn is not your average academic. He combines the knowledge and skills of an academic scholar with more than twenty years of senior-level corporate experience as an advertising and media executive. As such, he has unique insights into the public’s attitudes and beliefs, how they are shaped, and the agenda-setting powers of the government and the news media. Bonn has developed a unique, integrated, and interdisciplinary theory called “critical communication” to explain how and why political elites and the news media periodically create public panics that benefit both parties. He received his doctorate in sociology at the University of Miami, FL. Bonn teaches courses in criminology, sociology of deviance, media and crime, and criminal justice. His primary research interests include white-collar crime, state crime and media effects on society. His research examines how and why the public forms its beliefs on complex issues such as crime, drugs, punishment, war and terrorism. Prior to his academic career, Bonn held high-ranking corporate positions such as Vice President at NBC Television Network and Executive Vice President at SonicNet, an award-winning, Internet-based music service that was sold to MTV Networks in 2000. He resides in Manhattan, New York. “This book is a timely contribution to the emerging study of state crime. Bonn does a fine job of explicating moral panic and elite deviance arguments in the context of the Iraq war. A clear and compelling read.” — Gray Cavender, Arizona State University. “Bonn offers a careful analysis of the post-9/11 build-up to the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. This book should be of great interest to scholars in the sociology of deviance, communication, political science, and to the general public.” — Amie L. Nielsen, University of Miami. http://rutgerspress.rutgers.edu/acatalog/Mass_Deception.html

Thank you,

Jean

I liken the Republicans and Tea Partiers to my ex husband. He was a control freak. There are many spouses out there (mostly men I'm afraid), who are belligerent, bully-ing, braggarts who say they "know what's best", whilst they're belittling and beguiling (yes, that's how they keep her there) their spouses and families. No matter what you do, it's never right or enough. If the focus is taken off him, he pouts, pushes, and postures until he gets his way. After bullying their way back into the alpha spot in her home, he says ... "you'll do it my way, compromise is up to you because you caused me to be this way ... when I strike out at you it's for your own good and what I stand for is the only stand you are allowed to make for yourself. Remember woman (country), I'm a very poor looser and I'll make you pay for making me lose, even if I deserved it. I'll turn it around, blame you and get away with it. I don't want your friends in this house, I don't want our family to thrive, I just want what's best for me, compromise is not an option unless you're doing exactly what I tell you to do."

That is what a man (or yes, in some cases women) does to his loved ones when he's blind to who he is and what he's representing. Sadly, there are many families who suffer under the hand of men like I've described and sadly the country is about to suffer under the hand of the likes of John Boehner who, in so many words, gave the above mentioned speech today. Yikes! Hide and find the nearest shelter! Oh wait, they'll all be gone because they're a public service and the tax dollars that keep those women safe are, according to the Republican's, better off in the bank accounts of the rich. They'll spend those dollars that kept her away from her abuser, on things ... which will eventually help her get a job making those things, so that she can move away, on her own, if she hasn't been beaten to death or shot. Oh wait, right, it's her fault.

iT SEEMS TO ME that we are smelling the Tri-Lateral Commission game here. We are dealing with Trilionaires who actually do all the driving of this earthbound ship. They have their spaceship designed, and when the poor and middle-class (what is left of it) finally combine to form a strategy toward their newly elected puppets (Called Republicans), they'll fly outta here anyway! We regular folks are merely maggots to these Super-CEO's. The military does protect them! This may seem far-fetched, but I think we better start thinking on this level, cause what we have been doing just will not work anymore. We need a bright moment folks. Lets get busy! Nuff said!!

Erik you can't give up. Your a veteran, what's that old adage? Don't leave a man behind? Think of all the young men and women curious about their sexuality who can't possibly comprehend the struggles ahead. The fight to live a their own lives and be who they truly are. I know it's hard and discouraging but if you give up you will never know victory. I don't delude myself into believing this will be resolved any time soon. But I do know that without the likes of us this country will continue it's free fall unabated. We must never give up- for future generations and the freedom this country was built on.

Interesting view Thom but I see this as a lack of leadership. If Obama, Pelosi and Reid would have ran with the agenda of the progressives, the one he campaigned on, the midterms would have turned out differently. There wasn't going to be any help from the republicans, but that should have been foreseen and avoided. Most people would define majority as 51%, only a moron would allow it to be 60%. Even at 60%, if the CHANGE agenda would have been pushed, even if it failed, progressives would have seen the reason for failure, republicans. Instead we got the weak compromises that neutered most bills that managed to get through which pissed off progressives. I can take failing as long as the effort is strong and sincere.

Thom, you are 100%

Thom, you are 100% correct----> Obama needs to kick some ass. He is seen by many of his supporters as weak. The right knows how to fight, as they view this as a war. Obama seems to view this as a hobby.

I just want to know what they(the repugnicans) think they are going to do with 300,000,000 destitute people they don't consider to be "Americans". They have a plan to create them...........

huh...what? rocks keep to many people in the dark get out and get some light once in a while. Get informed. read the news. sift through all the bullshit i call clues. And then you might just be waliking a bit more to center with the rest of us.

The best government that money can buy. Destroy education for the masses. Exploit ignorance for the sake of the elite on a global scale. Today Germany exploits shovel ready industrial parks and cheap labor to their economic advantage, tomorrow Dubai, China, , Japan, Israel ? The list goes on.

The best and brightest and most motivated among us should be professionals in primary and secondary education but that profession has been relegated to little more than ditch diggers and sewer workers. You get what you pay for. An uneducated public is a public ripe for exploitation and that is an extremely lucrative enterprise if you are a member in good standing with the global elite. Yesterdays Shaw becomes tomorrows President of the United States. Will the elitist destroy themselves ? Eventually , yes, but in the interim they continue to utterly destroy checks and balances. Rather than debate and lay strategy for a common goal ,moving the ball in one direction, globally the money has joined forces against the better interest of the populace for the sake of short term gain. Money talks, especially when it comes down to privatizing education and who gets educated and who gets their hand put to the shovel in the ditches. That is a huge obstacle to overcome and may the powers that be help us in getting back on our own two feet on that score.

Thom Hartmann is obsessed and outraged with the thought of a CEO of a major health insurance company legally earning millions of dollars in salary and stock options that were duly voted on by the board of directors and stock holders and I would like to emphasize legally. Yet, the waste fraud and abuse of the Medicare and Medicaid systems is twice as much as the top15 health insurance companies earnings combined and to boot, they are solvent! Looks to me like it would be prudent for the system that Thom Hartmann is so fond of… is to hire a couple of these CEO’s so they could clean up the corruption and mismanagement and save the taxpayer literally billions of dollars for the cost of a few million needed to hire them!

What I just pointed out to you is the hypocrisy, ignorance and downright foolishness of a socialist! (Thom Hartmann) The socialist does not like being called a socialist because the definition of a socialist is that the state also has ownership of industry and control. Where as they only seek control. That’s like me owning my car but they get to drive it. The democratic socialist or "progressive"… is defined as leaving the owner ship of property and business in private hands and controlling everything else from the democratic process. That is not going to work because the entrepreneur will loose the cost benefit reward plus resentment.

Thom Hartmann takes himself to be intelligent and humane, but… when you believe that a human, "be they a socialist or a capitalist" is going to perform flawlessly you are a fool! The best way to deal with life is to have the liberty to seek the knowledge and make the intelligent choices for your self.

You can choose to do business with a corporation or not! You don’t have that choice with a government agency and that is why government has waste, fraud and abuse!

Now all we have to do is de-socialize the educational system or… should we let it collapse under its own foolishness? For starters…close the DE now!

Of coarse the question still remains for the socialist…What do you do with the poor?

Answer… You can be charitable or not! Errantly, charity is a word the socialist will never except or be responsible for. Charity is a moral obligation not enforceable by law. Charity is a direct threat to their ideology and occupation… which is basically pissing and moaning!!!

Robert Jacobs

PS Iwould like a responce from Mr. Hartmann him self!!!

they will dissolve from the peoples voices in government, into representatives of the largest corporations able to buy them. they themselves will become rich in the process, in exchange for selling a very tiny part of their soul/conscience, by passing just a couple of corrupt or totalitarian type laws each, all of which will total up to a cohesive, nation-wide fascist agenda, which MOST of them, in lower standing, being as short sighted, power hungry and stupid as they are, will not even realize what is being perpetrated upon their once "great" nation and selves by the "most high" bankers and corporate monarchs- who will have their most trusted lackeys serve them in the highest offices such as the presidency - et al., these types that have always sullied their hands and hearts with blood and suffering throughout the history of world power on behalf of their kings, emperors, popes, and lords will be privy to truths they might be entrusted to each according to his/her loyalty and/or belief in the cause. yes. ALL OF THIS. As will the democrats succumb to the same fate, just as their counter-parts in the republican in the republican party, will all be eclipsed by the billions and trillions of dollars given in support of their sponsored "opponents". Goodbye America, good U.S. of A. I will fight for you if I can in any way effective. But till that day, i may be else where if I become able.

It's accept.

True. Medicare fraud needs to be cleaned up and the Justice Department is working on that.

Just because corporate boards give out huge compensations doesn't make it right. While we are at it, let's look at the inflated incomes of athletes, coaches and managers. Why didn't you mention those? It isn't the rich that drives the economy. It is the now defunct middle class. The 90% of the wealth held by the rich in this country buys only yachts and caviar and champagne. How many are employed in those industries? The working poor buy the milk and bread and cars. Henry Ford gave his workers raises so they could afford to buy his cars. Well?

And while we are at it, I say look at the Department of Defense budget and cut out the waste. You didn't mention that one. Why?

Education is important. If there were more readers in this country, elections like this one wouldn't happen. It would be nice to be #1 in the world in math and science education which we are not. We aren't even #2 or even #10.

And the health care system? We have now fallen to #49 in the world in life expectancy. This is an indicator of how bad the system is.

Looks like the Golden Rule is dead. And I'll take socialism over fascism any day.

This despite the Government Accountability Office’s accounting of $70 billion in new Pentagon waste in the last two years alone. Despite the fact that the U.S. and its NATO allies outspend the rest of the world’s militaries by a factor of two; that the U.S. military alone outspends its nearest competitor, China, by at least six times. That the combined militaries of Iran, Libya, North Korea, Sudan, Somalia, and Syria spend less than one percent of what our military spends.$14,120,000,000,00025.2%25$741,200,000,000• The United States spends nearly as much on military power as every other country in the world combined, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. It says that we spend more than six times as much as the country with the next highest budget, China.

• The United States maintains troops at more than 560 bases and other sites abroad, many of them a legacy of a world war that ended 65 years ago. Do we fear that if we pull our bases from Germany, Russia might invade?

• The intelligence community is so vast that more people have “top secret” clearance than live in Washington, D.C.

• The U.S. will spend more on the war in Afghanistan this year, adjusting for inflation, than we spent on the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, the Civil War and the Spanish-American War combined.

Canada's PM Theivin' Harper has led the largest military buildup since WW2 with 50 ships for the navy, 65 new F-35 jets surely drones could do the job for exponentially less.

Aside from the fact that these expensive toys will cost anywhere from $16 to $30 billion, which works out to $500 to $1,000 for every man, woman and child in Canada; or to put it another way, $16 to $30 per year for every single person in the country for a period of 30 years… although the cost could actually be higher, so let’s say $40 a year per person for 30 years or so…

The 5-bladed EH101 had been the Maritime Helicopter Program’s initial winner, and a civilian version currently serves in a search-and-rescue role as the CH-149 Cormorant. Canadian experiences with this type have been strained, however, due to reliability and readiness issues.

In the end, Canada chose a different platform, but the ride has been rough. In 2000, program costs for 28 maritime helicopters were estimated at C$ 2.8 billion. That escalated to C$ 3.1 billion in 2003, and by 2010, the cost of purchasing, providing 20 years of in-service support for, training personnel for, and extra spending to keep the CH-124 Sea King fleet operational during project delays, had hit C$ 6.2 billion.

The war in Afghanistan is estimated to cost every man , woman and child in Canada $4,500 a year.The mission was extended by Harper without a vote.So why are we so heavily invested in one of the world's most corrupt, intolerant and illiterate countries?A country where you would be killed for burning religious text-killed for a myth-it's a theocracy.Is it the belief that if we occupy them for generations that when we leave they will continue to educate girls and women?It's still a horrible country for men-failure to pray 5X a day will result in a severe god squad caning.

Are we heading for a world war since that the only way however briefly, that Kaputalism can create full employment.Well hey if I die, it's the best fate that can befall a pauper.These days it seems the only possibilty that may grant me work.

I am truly afraid of the future - the direction we will go iF GOP wins in 2012 !! Thats not hyperbole

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What the wealthy republicans are too sociopathic to see, is that if they succeed in their goal of entirely eliminating America's middle class and driving the poor class to the point of Africa-style malnutrition starvation and dying in the streets, and gain absolute power over the entire world, they (the hyper-wealthy) will suffer because of it. I know, they will laugh if they read this. But consider the self-evident fact that republican corporations are directly responsible for virtually all of the pollution on this planet, and if they got total power that would mean they would have total freedom to dump far more toxic industrial wastes into the water, air, soil, and food that we all share; republican corporations are directly responsible for making, selling, advertising, and ignoring and lying about the dangers of chemical fertilizers, insect poisons, and weed poisons, promoting nuclear power while ignoring safe ways to generate nuclear power, and promoting hatred, fear, and war all over the world. Obviously, if the republicans get the total power that they obsess about, they will turn every square inch of this planet into a poisonous, radioactive, smoking ruin that can't support any life of any kind. And I would find small comfort in the fact that some of them, as they took their last gasping breath of poisonous, radioactive air, and died, would realize what they had done, and feel regret. But I think that many republicans are so insane that they would rejoice even in realizing that they had killed their own families and themselves- they are that fixated on causing suffering. Therefore, republicans can't be trusted to control their own behavior, and they can't be allowed to get what they want, even when they throw sociopathic snits and threaten to run this country further into the ditch that they have already run it into.

And how fascinatingly ironic- and Biblically correct- it is that in protecting ourselves from the republicans, we will save the republicans from themselves. Truly, we are all in this together.

SassyLass924...Scott A. Bonn sounds like someone interesting to read, and hopefully listen to, if Thom manages to interview him. I'd also like it if Thom was able to get Michael Hudson, the economist, on for an interview. I know Thom has had the other Michael Hudson on who also has similar views and has written similar books on the subject of our economy but the professor from the University of Missouri in Kansas City, who was also Kucinich's economic advisor would be fantastic to have on.

If, after listening to, or reading, Scott A. Bonn, and you can buy what he says...then how can it so far fetched to believe that these same devious and manipulative people are not behind the 911 false flag operation...planting explosives in the WTC buildings, installing specially programmed computer controllers on the airplanes and controlling them to crash into the WTC buildings, and using 19 Arab patsies who may have had absolutely no idea that this was going to happen?

A Justification for Taxing the Super Rich:

A brief encounter with right-wing radio, while driving home from work, got me so mad I almost broke the steering wheel. In essence, one of Murdoch’s well paid and under taxed propagandists was repeating the same old hare-brained republican talking point. The one that says taxing the rich is a job killer. I wondered, in anger, what trickle down planet this guy lives on, apparently not earth.

Let’s take a look at job killing reality for a moment. It wasn’t long ago, Republican Mitch McConnell, showed his big-money-interest true colors by thwarting a democratic attempt to repeal tax laws that encourage corporations to keep exporting jobs overseas. Now connect the dots: tax breaks for the rich, slave labor, US job losses, obeying corporate masters, republican politicians, all in one sentence. What a surprise! This total disrespect for the working class barely caused a stir in corporate media. Had the average citizen been aware of this, with unemployment nearing 20%, I suspect there would have been riots in the streets.

The Republican/Tea Party agenda is pretty obvious. Besides doing everything they can to make President Obama look bad, a central thrust is the maintenance of tax codes and labor practices favorable to the creation of ill-gotten wealth. This form of parasitical enrichment comes in many forms. I’ll mention a few good ones: repeal of Glass-Steagall- making it possible for banksters to loot the working class 401Ks, no bid military contracts, continuation of the Bush II temporary tax cuts for the super rich; US CEOs making in 8 hours the amount it takes their average worker a year to make. On top of this, the Tea Party is convinced this CEO needs tax relief. Another good example is where Thurston III makes huge profits from his oil commodities trading thanks to working class people driving to work. This is fine until the people enriching him find out his unearned income is taxed less than their earned income. He might do well to thank the people who had to drive to work to earn a living for making it possible for him to not.

In a functional democracy, it’s just common sense that a fair and moral tax code should prevail. With this currently lacking, the massive redistribution of wealth from the working class hands that created it, into the hands that did not, will continue. It seems the best tool to legislate against such greed is taxation of the super rich. By this method it’s possible to redirect ill-gotten wealth back into the working class society that created it. This is our best chance of prosperity for all, instead of just for an elite few.

Mr Jabobs:

I don't know about you, but after I total all the premiums, deductables, and copays and compare them against what insurance WILL pay, I find that insurance runs off with most if not ALL of my hard-earned money. It's hard for me to understand why I should be paying for or feel an obligation for some insurance CEO jerk's fifth house in Switzerland instead of receiving SERVICE from the product I am purchasing.

There are massive amounts of money/profits in the insurance industry with too much of it going to CEO salaries. I think ALL that money could be better spent helping REAL people--you know--the people who PAY for the product and maybe those who are unable to pay, because some of us believe that all humans have value and that healthcare is a human right, not a commodity.

These wealthy people LOVE the suck-ups like you. You help them stay in power--support their greed--their selfishness, because you are their mirror. I think all of you "survival of the fittest" jerks should find your own island where you can out-survive each other and live out your childish/competitive/selfish "Lord of the Flies" mentality and leave the rest us adults to survive and prosper on our humanity and shared community--you know ADULT values.

By the way. the CEO of the largest bank in China only makes about $150,000 per year. It's only a job afterall--not a kingship.

When the people are united and the people lead, leaders necessarily have to follow. At no time in history have so many people been able to come together from so many diverse area of the globe. History shows that the best and most successful changes have been made when social movements forced a new reality. Do not underestimate the changes people have made so far: busting monarchies, ending slavery, child labour laws, civil rights.....Social andPolitical unification of the masses is the biggest threat to psychopathic capitalism. I strongly believe that as people from everywhere talk, share ideas, educate each other and practice resistance, change must occur. Creating new realities at home is within our reach ( however fragile it may be right now) and I agree that this movement should not be co-opted by any party. Full of intelligent and and dedicated young people, they will figure out what needs to happen and how it must be begun.