Congress has a lot on its plate this lame-duck session. It has to pass a bill to continue to fund the government by December 11, should fill a number of judicial vacancies, and, at least according to the Constitution, must either authorize or put an end to the war against ISIS in Iraq and Syria. But those are just the major headline-grabbing items. There are also many less-well-known things that Congress has to get done before the end of the year if it wants to, you know, actually govern the country.

One of those less-well-known but incredibly important priorities is saving the United States Post Service from the Republicans who want to bankrupt and privatize it so they can give it to their billionaire buddies.

Ever since Benjamin Franklin took office as America's first Postmaster General on July 26, 1775, the Postal Service has served as an example of everything that’s great about this country and its government. It’s a public service set up by “We the People” to foster commerce and communication, and even today in this age of email and the internet, the Post Office is a lifeline for millions of Americans living in rural areas where the internet doesn’t reach and where FedEx won’t deliver.

But now it’s in a whole lot of financial trouble thanks to one of the most destructive pieces of intentional Republican poison-pill legislation in recent history.

Read more here.

-Thom

Tonight on The Big Picture on RT TV at 7pm and 10pm... Latinos threaten GOP with 'political hell' (check your local listings for stations or stream at RT or Free Speech TV, and catch past shows on Youtube)

Be sure to check out our new videos: CARBON, LAST HOURS & GREEN WORLD RISING - narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio

Need to Know: Latinos threaten GOP with 'political hell'
- Arturo Carmona, Presente

Lone Liberal Rumble:
- Genevieve Wood, The Daily Signal / Heritage Foundation
- Horace Cooper, National Center for Public Policy Research

Screwed: Arrested home care worker speaks out
- Tonya York, Home Care Worker.

Community Square

"Mitch McConnell Leaked Audio Tapes"

Please support the Hunter School, a unique therapeutic boarding school for young children diagnosed with ADHD, Anxiety, Sensory, Mood and related conditions...

Wednesday's Daily Stack

Hour One: Ferguson
- Joe Madison, Host-The Joe Madison Show, weekdays 6-10am, Sirius/XM ch. 126

Article: "Ferguson Protests Projected To Spread To Other Cities After Verdict" by Steven Kenniff.

Article: "Ferguson Organizer: ‘Police Are Preparing for War’" by Alyssa Figueroa.

Article: "One Tweet Captures a Big Problem With Ferguson's State of Emergency" by Becca Stanek.

Article: "These Eerie Photos Show What Ferguson Looks Like Right Now" by Zak Cheney-Rice.

Article: "Ferguson Area Gun Store Sees 700 Percent Spike In Sales Ahead Of Jury Verdict" by Amanda Terkel.

Article: "Racial gap in U.S. arrest rates: 'Staggering disparity'" by Brad Heath.

Article: "Fox’s Juan Williams: Liberal News Outlets ‘Begging’ for More Ferguson Riots" by Andrew Kirell.

Case: "Brown v. Board Of Education", 1954 (Segregation in public schools) (overturned Plessy v. Ferguson).

Article: "Liberal Democrats Form A Hell No Caucus To Block Republicans In The Senate" by Jason Easley.

Book: "Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln" by Doris Kearns Goodwin.

Article: "Liberal ‘hell no’ caucus rises" by Burgess Everett.

Article: "Jay Nixon" by Wikipedia.

Article: "Dred Scott" by Wikipedia.

Quote: "If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog" - attributed to Harry S. Truman".

Quote: "If it's a choice between a genuine Republican, and a Republican in Democratic clothing, the people will choose the genuine article, every time - Address at the National Convention Banquet of the Americans for Democratic Action" by Harry S. Truman, May 17, 1952.

Article: "House Republicans Just Picked 21 Committee Chairs. 20 Are Men." by Daniel Newhauser.

Article: "Detroit's water shutoffs to continue throughout winter" by Corey Williams .

Article: "Forestville to shut off service if water bills aren’t paid " by Susan Chiappone.

Article: "While America Spars Over Keystone XL, A Vast Network Of Pipelines Is Quietly Being Approved" by Katie Valentine, March 20, 2014.

Quote: "If it's a choice between a genuine Republican, and a Republican in Democratic clothing, the people will choose the genuine article, every time - Address at the National Convention Banquet of the Americans for Democratic Action" by Harry S. Truman, May 17, 1952.

Article: "Arkansas National Guard and the integration of Central High School" by Wikipedia.

Hour Two: Climate Disruption Depression, and The Mass Destruction of Iraq
- Dahr Jamail, TruthOut

Article: "Climate Disruption Depression and 2013 Emissions Set New Records" by Dahr Jamail.

Book: The Mass Destruction of Iraq: The Disintegration of a Nation: Why It Is Happening, and Who Is Responsible by William Rivers Pitt & Dahr Jamail.

Article: "Coal to rival oil as dominant energy source by 2017: IEA" by John McGarrity.

Article: "The U.S. and China Just Announced Important New Actions to Reduce Carbon Pollution" by John Podesta, John Holdren.

Video: Last Hours.

Article: "PETM Shocker: When CO2 Levels Doubled 55 Million Years Ago, Earth May Have Warmed 9°F In 13 Years" by Joe Romm.

Article: "Permian–Triassic extinction event" by Wikipedia.

Quote: "If you think the economy is more important than the environment, try holding your breath while counting your money" -- Guy McPherson.

Article: "Earth Will Cross the Climate Danger Threshold by 2036" by Michael E. Mann.

Article: "James Hansen: 2C Temperature Rise Would Be ‘Disastrous’" by Tim Radford.

Book: Storms of My Grandchildren: The Truth About the Coming Climate Catastrophe and Our Last Chance to Save Humanity by James Hansen.

Video: The Arctic Methane Monster's Rapid Rise.

Article: "Hundreds of Methane Plumes Erupting Along East Coast" by Becky Oskin.

Article: "Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura- Season Three, Episode #4: The Ozarks" by Michael J. Hobart, November 28, 2012.

Article: "August was hottest on record worldwide, says Nasa " by John Vidal.

Article: "NASA Reports Hottest Recorded September".

Article: "The Planet Just Had Its Hottest October On Record" by Joe Romm.

Article: "Amazon rainforest losing ability to regulate climate, scientist warns " by Jonathan Watts.

Plus, Clean water...the ultimate power grab?
- Todd Gaziano, Pacific Legal Foundation DC Center

Article: "“Waters of the United States” — the ultimate power grab" by Reed Hopper.

Article: "New Mexico resident fights Army Corps over arroyo cleanup" by Michael Haederle.

Article: "Constitution of the United States" Article 1 section 8. "The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States".

Article: "Report on the Subject of Manufactures" by Alexander Hamilton.

Article: "Proposed “Definition of 'Waters of the United States'" by EPA, April 21, 2014.

Case: "SWANCC v. Corps (2001)".

Article: "House Passes Bill That Makes It Harder For Scientists To Advise The EPA" by Emily Atkin.

Talk Radio News Segment:
- Victoria Jones

Article: "Obama To Unveil Immigration Reform Plan Thursday" by TRNS.

Video: Obama Immigration Reform Speech In Las Vegas, Nevada (Full) - 1/29/2013.

Article: "Obama’s Executive Order on Immigration Is Unlikely to Include Health Benefits" by Michael D. Shear and Robert Pear.

Article: "Six Decades Left to Eliminate All CO2 Emissions, UN Says" by Alex Morales.

Article: "Family, School Spar in Court in 'Under God' Suit" by David Porter.

Site: "Goats for the old Goat".

Site: Governor Free Don Siegelman.

Article: "TRNS News Notes- 11/19" by Victoria Jones.

Article: "TRNS News Notes- 11/18" by Victoria Jones.

Hour Three: Thom Hartmann University book club - chapter 3
- Dan Sisson, The Revolution of 1800

Article: "XYZ Affair" by Wikipedia.

Article: "Whiskey Rebellion" (1791–1794) by Wikipedia.

Article: "Funding Act of 1790" by Wikipedia (assumption of state debts by the federal government by the issue of federal securities).

Article: "Sen. Ted Cruz: GOP shouldn’t confirm any White House nominees next year" by Colby Itkowitz and Al Kamen. Josh Earnest: putting the interests of the nation ahead of partisan political ambition or political interests.

Article: "Impeachment in the United States" by Wikipedia.

Article: "American's Creed" (April 3, 1918) by Wikipedia.

Article: "The People's Almanac" by Wikipedia.

Article: "Boehner: Obama will cement ‘legacy of lawlessness’ with immigration order" by Peter Schroeder.

Article: "The Powell Memo or Powell Manifesto".

Article: "Texas Oil Regulator Says It Will Not Honor Town’s Vote To Ban Fracking" by Emily Atkin.

Site: "Railroad Commission of Texas".

Article: "Fairness Doctrine " by Wikipedia.

Article: "Sherman Antitrust Act", 1890.

Case: "Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission" (2010).

Article: "14th Amendment, July 9, 1868 (citizenship, representatives, public debt)

Article: "First Amendment to the United States Constitution".

Article: "2014 Elk River chemical spill" by Wikipedia.

Thursday on The Thom Hartmann Program, 3-6pm ET

Arturo Carmona of Presente.org will be here to discuss Keystone and immigration.

And, the best of the rest of the news along with your calls right here on...

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Sincerely,

Thom and Louise Hartmann founded the New England Salem Children's Village (NESCV) in New Hampshire in 1979. With states delaying payment for the children they entrust to the village, they need help with cash flow. Can you help? Now on Facebook.

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Conversations w/Great Minds P1 - Phil Donahue - How Powerful News Use to Be

Conversations w/Great Minds P2 - Phil Donahue - Corporate Media is Ruining Democracy

Conversations w/Great Minds P3 - Phil Donahue - The Biggest Foreign Policy Blunder

Conversations w/Great Minds - Phil Donahue - What if Nader Had Become President?

Full Show 11/18/14: Phil Donahue on TV News and the Iraq War

In tonight's special hour-long “Conversations with Great Minds" Thom talks with legendary Talk Show Host Phil Donahue, Co-Director of the film “Body of War.”

The 'Hell No' Caucus...

How do we Prevent Another Ferguson?

Awaiting the Grand Jury in Ferguson...

ACA...What's New?

The Latest on the Keystone Pipeline

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