Daily Topics - Friday December 17th, 2010
By shawnt56
Truthout is proud to bring you an exclusive series from America's No. 1 progressive radio host, Thom Hartmann. We'll be publishing weekly installments of Hartmann's acclaimed new book, "Rebooting the American Dream: 11 Ways to Rebuild Our Country." We invite Truthout readers to join us as, chapter by chapter, we explore these groundbreaking ideas for national transformation.
Quote of the Day: To rule is easy, to govern difficult. -- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
"Anything Goes on Townhall Fridays!"
Hour One: "Brunch With Bernie" - Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) will be live from the Senate floor where he is filibustering the tax cuts deal...call Thom with your questions for the Senator - www.sanders.senate.gov
Hour Three: House Call - Congressman Steve King (R-IA) will be here - http://steveking.house.gov
Comments
#2
At best Obama is gambling that he'll win in 2012 and can end the tax cuts. At least that's what he wants progressives to believe. I for one cannot count on him to win in 2012, nor can I expect that the economy is going to improve in any significant way. Plain and simple this is just irresponsible, this is a game the administration is playing, but its the American people who are at stake.
Way to go our dear representatives, we appreciate all your attempts to CYA at our expense.
N
#3
#4
Notes for December 16, 2010
Casey Sheehan
Casey is Cindy Sheehan’s son who was killed in Iraq. He left us much too early. Cindy opposed Casey joining the military. His father favored his son’s volunteering to serve. We will never know Casey’s true potential. Casey was going to become an ordained priest. People, please complete your education before joining the military. As an ordained priest Casey could serve our country as a chaplain. He volunteered because the military promised him that he would be able to assistant a chaplain. Our military is not interested in saving loves; their interest is in killing human lives.
Please keep in mind that if you volunteer to serve in the military and the military places you in a tank unit, they are saying that you are truly an expendable person. It is my understanding that anyone in a tank unit who is in active combat has a life expectancy of less than one minute. A positive aspect of a tank unit assignment or placement is giving you a clear indication as to how much time you have left on earth. You have less than a minute to live.
I am looking at this Christmas with disdain. I am living in a country where Americans truly hate other Americans. We have Americans who want glorification by killing other Americans. This hatred places Americans in the abyss of hell. Are the Republicans trying to cleanse America through only accepting perfect human beings?
A failed war!
http://www.opednews.com/articles/US-spy-agencies-paint-grim-by-Bill-van-Auken-101216-141.html
A grim picture!
http://www.opednews.com/articles/America-in-Decline-the-Re-by-George-Baikal-101215-682.html
America in decline!
http://www.opednews.com/populum/linkframe.php?linkid=123678
Bernie stands tall.
#5
Additional Comments for December 16, 2010
A Hot Topic
There has been much talk about surviving a nuclear holocaust. Apparently, radiation dissipates quite rapidly and we can go on living. This talk has been generated by our federal government so that our country can commence a nuclear holocaust. If there are dead human beings, we can use their bodies to recycle the earth. Our skin can be used as fiber for clothing; our bones can be crushed to bind concrete and pavement for our roads and streets; and our eyeballs can be used as marbles for games. Yes, our wasted bodies can be recycled for positive use by our Gestapo leaders.
Sales of Weaponry
Tony Magliano writes a column for the Catholic News Service. He is a great writer. He wrote an article that mentioned the USA is the leading seller of weaponry and weapons of mass destruction. The USA has 70 to 80% of the sales market. The USA sells the weaponry for the bottom line. The USA should discontinue the sale of these weapons. Yes, our country is not without sin in the sale of weapons. We aid in the killing off of the world population because we control between 70 and 80% of the sales market in weaponry and weapons of mass destruction.
Americans must come to grips with the fact that our nation is evil and sinful. We probably dominate the most evil and sinful ways on our planet. You cannot control 70 or 80% of the sales market and not be evil and sinful. Here is how we are sinning. We sin through our cooperation of sales to other countries, by approving the sales to these countries, and by not hindering the sales of these weapons.
America is an evil and sinful nation, probably the most evil and sinful nation in the world. We cannot remain in denial and silent to the fact that the USA is an evil and sinful nation. We cannot go forward in changing our world unless we openly admit our evil and sinful ways.
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.
WHY WORRY ABOUT RADIATION? IT WILL DISSIPATE AND WE CAN GO ON WITH OUR LIVES. WILL THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES KILL OFF THE AMERICAN POPULATION? AMERICA NEEDS TO WORRY ABOUT THE LONG TERM EFFECT OF A NUCLEAR HOLOCAUST!!!
#6
Keep her in your prayers and may God bless her!
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/12/17/amazing-woman-with-no-arms.aspx
#7
We ALL need to call and write our State's Senators and ask them to convey to Senator Reid and the rest of the leadership that all of America is more than okay with Congressional (both Senate and House) Republicans taking off for Christmas vacation until the end of this Congressional Session. They are not required to maintain a working quorum and their endlessly continuing obstruction and asshattery only tends to get in the way of getting the People’s business done.
I am sure that this will come as a great personal relief to both Senator Kyl and Senator DeMint who need to spend time communing with their deity after destroying the holidays for so many Americans by blocking the renewal of unemployment insurance payments to a large portion of Americans. We the People should support these good man in their personal pursuit of a greater understanding of anything potentially larger than their egos.
Frankly, I am tired of false piety from folk of low character and shaky moral fiber . . .
#8
@rladlof... well I don't think I fit the false piety... but I'm pretty sure I have low character and shaky moral fiber, after all I do self identify as a progressive.
Sometimes I don't believe Senators and Congressmen care if I write or call them at all... at other times I know it. Doesn't keep me from writing to 'em, but my expectations are always as low as my character.
N
#9
When Speaker Bohner and the GOP start agitating to make the payroll tax reduction permanent (to criple Social Security) here's a plan the administration should dangle in front of them - it cuts FICA taxes in half for almost everyone, it lowers unemployment, and preserves benefit levels for as long as we can forecast.
http://bluehorde.blogspot.com/2010/11/revive-social-security.html
#10
How can you be a listerner of Thom and not know who your representative is?
#11
Check out this study!!!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4663052
#12
If you want to be stupid, you must listen to Fox News. Stupid does as stupid is!!!
#13
Is King inventing progressive policies? I have never heard an argument for eliminating the employee contribution to Social Security.
#14
I don't know if Thom will read this, but caller on FreespeechTV was referring money having flaws and needing to be destroyed, she was referring to the new $100 bill. According to the story in the Independent, there are about a billion of these new $100 bills are going to never see the light of day, because a printing error left an estimated 30 percent of these bill with a blank strip on their face.
#15
Thom-think ...
Here's what I gather from my last listening session with Thom, which was Wednesday, I think.
Obama is playing chess. He's setting himself up as the only sane guy in the room. When it comes around to re-election time, he's going to have a hand up on everyone because he extended some middle-class tax cuts. He's playing it really really smart in terms of setting up his re-election bid in 2012.
Why he should be re-elected? Got me. Because he's not as bad as a Republican president? He's actually worse. He gets away with things that Republicans could not. Triangulation, I think it's called.
Thom is sounding more and more like an Obamabot. It is amazing the mental gymnastic he and others go through to continue supporting this guy. Amazin.
#16
I don't believe Thom's support for Obama is for the individual but for the party. We were duped into believing Obama had a slightly more progressive lean. Absent a sound challenger that can rally fence-sitters in the primary, we are stuck with Obama.
#17
December 16, 2010
We are living in truly remarkable times. As I observe, I see the total destruction of the United States of Mortal Sin. Please make no mistake we are witnessing the total demise of our hell-hole and rat-hole country.
http://www.opednews.com/articles/Letter-from-Denmark-Stop-by-Ron-Ridenour-101217-274.html
Denmark offers some advice.
http://www.opednews.com/articles/Afghans--Victimized-by-Co-by-Stephen-Lendman-101217-515.html
A sad state of affairs!
http://www.opednews.com/articles/Is-this-the-Golden-Age-of-by-Bob-Patterson-101215-514.html
My answer is no because our Golden Age for this mental disorder commenced with Nixon's divide and rule agenda!
http://www.opednews.com/articles/AMERICA-S-NUCLEAR-DUPLICIT-by-Sam-Hamod-101217-204.html
We are an evil country.
#18
That's the beauty of the system. Thom said today that we have to get in and take over the Democratic Party. That's a fools game, not even close to chess. The Party exists in part to absorb progressive and populist movements and marginalize them. They want us in the party, and will say anything to get our votes. Once in, we are set to the side.
How do we deal with that? By staying out of the party. Let them fade to minority status. And then brain to get in on our terms.
Not gonna happen, I know, but Thom's game is poker for losers, where your opponent always gets to know your hand.
#19
December 18, 2010
The party of no!!!
Julian Assange will be imprisoned for life!!!
http://consortiumnews.com/2010/121610.html
The world is mocking the United States of Mortal Sin.
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/LL16Ak02.html
#20
Another comment for December 18, 2010
The defense budget has now ballooned to $725 billion that we know at this point. However, we do not know what is under the table. Is it another $725 billion? Average Americans will pay this bill so the American rich and their fat asses are protected. The rich received another tax break; yet they are the people who should be paying a higher percentage of the taxes because they have the most to lose. Personally, average Americans would be better off living in a socialist environment.
Thom's Blog Is On the Move
By webmaster
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Thom & Louise at a "private audience" with His Holiness Pope John Paul II at his summer palace, Castle Gandolfo, Italy
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Lie of the decade: tax cuts for the wealthy create jobs. Wait a sec; that's been a lie since the creation of language, lies, and taxes.