Daily Topics - Monday August 22nd, 2011
By shawnt56
The Big Picture "On Air" Questions or Comments for Thom?
Hour One: "Working America"... Michelle Bachmann's Super PAC? NOT! - Karen Nussbaum, Working America
Hour Two: Latest on Libya and what happens next - Dr. Ian Bremmer, "The J Curve" / Plus, What would one tea partier do if he were in charge? Mark Williams
Hour Three: Revealed-AT&T and T-Mobile...the Rick Perry connection - Craig Aaron, Free Press
Comments
#2
Your Tea Party guest who suggests that he or his party should be making all decisions for citizens who are on the "public dole" is hilarious as usual due to his blatant hypocracy. Why? Because as a typical right winger he believes that only the poor and out of work are on the "public dole." However the truth is, as has been shown time and time again, there is not a millionaire, billionaire, or corporation in existence who isn't now or hasn't been in the past on the "public dole." In fact, many of these privlidged individuals and corporations wouldn't be where they are now if they hadn't have received HUGE amounts of public funds and which, incidentely, in most cases they are still receiving. Of course most of us are familiar with the Oil & Gas subsidies, but there are dozens of subsidies fo dozens of corporations. Additionally there are the dozens and dozens of tax loopholes that allow these millionaires and corporations to avoid paying taxes, in many cases all together. Then there are the tax breaks they have "bribed" the politicians into giving them for shipping American jobs over seas. Also there are strong arm policies that millionaires & billionaires use like when they tell the citizens of a particular state to either build them (the millionaire) a sports stadium using their (the citizens) taxes after which they (the millionaire) will charge excessive ticket prices which the average citizen will never be able to afford but which the millionaire will reap HUGE profits from and if the citizens don't Ithe millionaire will move his team to another city or state.
So using the logic of this Tea Party person shouldn't we as citizens also be able to decide how to run the lives of these millionaires, billinaires and corporations who are taking MUCH more from public funds individually than any other single citizen who takes a miniscule fraction compared to them? Of course it would, but these opinions are not about logic they are all about repression of the poor and disenfranchised. Remember to stay awake, look at the big picture and try not to get caught up in these small quibbles when they are argued cut off from the whole of the truth.
#3
USS Liberty 1967 "incident".
An earlier caller had mentioned this, and I called to supplement that conversation, but was told to post here. It took me a while to find this spot.
I am familiar with these 900+ pages because I downloaded them and printed them out a while ago, because I like to base my decisions on facts not innuendo, propaganda or spin.
The original (truly) Top Secret report resulting from the June 10, 1967 order of Admiral John S. McCain, Commander in Chief, U.S. Naval Forces, Europe - was declassified quite awhile ago.
In October 2003, Congress was once again attempting to look into the "incident" where 34 American Sailors were killed and 172 were wounded.
According to an Israeli Embassy statement [in Oct 2003], it was "a terrible accident".
This is somewhat at odds with the now declassified reports which include, electronic signal jamming preceeding and during the more than one hour attack by Israeli jets and torpedo boats on the USS Liberty.
I believe the caller meant to remind us of how incapable some of our so-called allies are of taking responsibility for their actions or even being remorseful of them.
That the facts of this are still not common knowledge in America speaks volumes.
How Much Better Off would America be If 6 Republican Presidents Hadn't Stolen The White House?
By Thom Hartmann A...
It's about time the last one, Trump, is held accountableTrump's impeachment trial is coming up in the Senate, and already his allies are trying to throw up procedural roadblocks to exhaust the effort to hold him accountable. Should America "move beyond" Trump? No friggin' way.
Images of Thom
At Mondragon - both the mountain and the cooperative city - in Spain (written about in "Threshold" book)
From Unequal Protection, 2nd Edition:
"Beneath the success and rise of American enterprise is an untold history that is antithetical to every value Americans hold dear. This is a seminal work, a godsend really, a clear message to every citizen about the need to reform our country, laws, and companies."
From Screwed:
"I think many of us recognize that for all but the wealthiest, life in America is getting increasingly hard. Screwed explores why, showing how this is no accidental process, but rather the product of conscious political choices, choices we can change with enough courage and commitment. Like all of Thom’s great work, it helps show us the way forward."
From The Thom Hartmann Reader:
"Right through the worst of the Bush years and into the present, Thom Hartmann has been one of the very few voices constantly willing to tell the truth. Rank him up there with Jon Stewart, Bill Moyers, and Paul Krugman for having the sheer persistent courage of his convictions."
What about corporate welfare?
Mark Williams said that if the government provides money, they should have some say into what is done with the money. I would have liked to hear whether he would apply the same principle to corporate welfare.
Dan in San Diego.