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I agree 100% I don't know why Thom lets him get away with the outright lies and the yelling. I don't watch anymore as long as I see his face(Horace I mean). He is a rude and very uninformed or else he is a pathelogical liar, as well as being very rude. I think its good to have both sides of a debate but not when one side consistantly lies and shouts over anyone who dares disagree. We should start a petition to dump Horace.That's my 2 bits for now.
I have forwarded my message on to my Democratic representatives and senators, the DNC and to each of the senders of those annoying donation emails I get. No response from anyone, yet. Surprised...?
Maybe Thom can pick up the conversation, especially about establishing a National Voting Day.
If the SCROTUS shoots down the subsidies for the 19 states that are run by fascists, then screw them. Don't send them any of my tax money. Aren't these the states that get more federal money than they send to Washington? Don't send them a dime of my money. Screw them!!! The rest of us will do just fine.
If the SCROTUS repeals the ACA then it will be time for a march on Washington.
I agree with you on the Kochs, but what about other billionares like Bloomberg who did exactly that in Washington?
The caller from Berwyn, IL, said he was an anarcho-capitalist. I'm not sure how earnestly he meant that, but it reminds me of the anarcho-syndicalist commune from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. It's a great scene and subtly instructive on civics.
Thom you wrote, ".... further warming and long-lasting changes in all components of the climate system, increasing the likelihood of severe, pervasive, and irreversible impacts for people and ecosystems.”..." global warming may soon bring food shortages, refugee crises, and mass extinctions." That's quite the leap don't you think? I'm surprised that you didn't mention the flooding and wiping out of Florida, Hawaii, the Phillipines and other coastal states and nationons.
2950-10K (#11) - So what you're saying is that the Reps blocked anything from being passed in Congress and that was a 'bad thing' and nothing got done. So now that the Reps won both House and Senate the Demonocrats should stop the Reps from passing anything in Congress and because it's the Demons it's a good thing? Typical, very typical.
RFord - did you ever look at the gas mileage for the vehicle you drive and compare it to the actual gas mileage you get? It's kinda like Global Warming....oh wait I'm sorry, it's Climate Change now isn't it. The numbers can say whatever you want them to say. Under certain conditions and with the stars alligned, if we add this but not take into account that.....You probably say that BHO is the greatest Prez ever....except don't include Obamacare, and that Bengazi thing, and leave out the massive debt he built up, the number of unemployed, gas prices doubling......etc, ya he's great!
^ Mathboy (#4).......by .01%, do you mean one percent.....you wrote 1/100 of 1 percent.....you are all for common core too, right?
I'm a little surprised Thom had never heard of the candy Mary Jane; it's been around since 1914.
An organization promoting controlled, educated and environmentally responsible consumption could be highly effective. Reducing the amount of fossil fuel emission into the environment could be fought through the collective consumption of consumers reducing their use of fossil fuels. It's the consumption of the product that makes it easily distributed around the US and the world.
Or we could bang our heads against the wall trying to get irrational (self interested) politicians and private tyrannies (corporations) to change their economic and social policies before the world is sent into oblivion.
You be the judge, as to which will happen before the sands of time runs out.
So has this been passed on to the Dems?
Mark -
I know you asked someone else, but I'll butt in my response. What can Progressives do to win? Give up the social agenda, and focus just on the economic one.
Also, most Conservatives aren't anti union. We're anti public-sector unions. Suppose there's a low-wage person making $20K per year. They have kids. Those kids go to a horrible school. Now tell that low-wage parent that their child's teachers make three to five times what the parent makes, and can't get fired even if their product stinks, and (here in IL at least), property taxes have to go up to pay for education. What do you think the parent thinks: "Schools need more money?" or "Fucking union asshole teachers, why are we paying them for a product they aren't delivering?"
Yes! Thank you! You managed to get into words something I've been thinking a lot lately. While Democrats may be the "party of the worker", they've also been pegged as the anti-religious, blame-America-first, unions-over-students party.
When a liberal complains about something religious on public property, or goes on TV and calls believers names, it doesn't win the party any friends. If anything, it just pushes more people away from the Democrats.
By trying to help people who don't want/didn't ask for/don't realize they need help, Democrats come across as arrogant, "I know what's best for you" types.
I like Thom because he's insightful and doesn't resort to put-downs or name calling. But someone like Stephanie Miller - if the stray Conservative happened to tune into her show one day for a little insight from "the other side", that person would be left thinking, "My God, those Progressives are a bunch of arrogant bitches. I'll never vote for them."
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The billionaires can leave. Then you'll have to stick it to the millionaires. Then they leave. Then you come for just the upper-middle class types. And so on until you're stuck with just the people who couldn't afford to get the hell out. Like Detroit, but on a state-wide scale.
One of my biggest critques of Progressives is their insistance that: 1. Most people are miserable, and 2. It's their job to help people, even if those people don't want it. I'll admit, I have a very good job now (private school teacher). I have a comfortable life. But it wasn't always this way. I used to have a low-wage job. I was never miserable though. My coworkers who were in the same boat, they we always happy. Not just when they had to be, with the customers, but all the time. My high school friends who are still living paycheck-to-paycheck, even in their mid 30s - they are happy. They have their family, friends, and for most of them, their religion. That's all the need to be happy.
Yes I know. Religion is the opiate of the masses. That doesn't have a negative connotation to me.
In order for a Progressive message to resonate with people, those people have to:
1. be unhappy,
2. blame "the system", not themselves,
3. not resort to escapism (TV, booze, etc...)
4. Care enough to vote.
That's a rare combination.
Again, only someone who was really miserable with their job would see their boss as their adversary. Have you ever had a boss you liked? Or did you always begin the job with a chip on your shoulder?
I hear ya Rob, and I agree. The problem is that the dems are beholden to the same corporate interests as the Repuglicans, with few exceptions. Thus the corporate Dems have little to offer their constituants, who seem more their victims than constituants in some cases. And the beat goes on while we keep doin’ the ole two-party two-step, lah-lah-lah. Soon it shall be the one-party goose step of the Demlicans (or Repuglicrats; take your pick).
Bye-bye America, hello Fourth Reich. - AIW
I can't stand listening to the screaming by Horace on the Big Picture Rumble debate sessions. It's bad enough that people have to be jubjected to Horace's pathological lying and distortion of facts, but his uncivilized debate tactics, in which he constantly interrupts people and yells over the top of his debate opponents is too much. I won't even listen to the Rumble anymore until Horace is removed from the show. Please take Horace off the panel and anyone else who won't debate in a civilized manner.
Saulys,
An awful lot of anomalous cases occurred last Tuesday:)). Three jump to mind. The Democrat states of MD, MA and your home state of Illinois:). There's probably more, but I don't feel like doing the research, because it makes no difference, it was a Republican tsunami.
As far as what would work to increase union membership, there isn't a pancenia. One thought leaps to mind though is clean up the corruption in the unions. Unions are a greater problem to there membership than management. Look at the newest companies such as Google, Apple, Microsoft etc. The provide their employees much more than a union ever will. On site daycare, membership in management committees, great pay, great benefits, etc etc. If you really want to increase membership asked the potential members what they like. Get over the blame game you guys like to play. I mean really, who cares who is to blame. I'm going into a rant and I don't like rants, so I'm done.
If Democratic candidates want to win they need to get out their and present solutions. This election was nothing but negative ads. If they want to win they shouldnt be running from the Presidents policies that have been working even with this much opposition. They should be putting out informative commercials showing in laymans terms not only their policies but also educating the public on how jobs are created. These mis informed people that believe tax cuts and deregulation are all that we need will continue to preach that idiotic mantra unless they are shown otherwise.
The fact that Democrats lost so badly this time around yet many of their policies passed on ballots in red states tells me we have a serious image problem. Debating with right wingers and viewing their crazy postings online tells me Republicans have done a very good PR job of controlling the Dems image. They also have done a good job of defining who they are. If the Dems cannot define what they stand for and what their policies really are and how those policies are good for everyone they will continue to lose. From listening to voter comments most have no idea what their parties stand for other then the BS on the media. They also dont bother to figure out who's solutions have the best chance for success. So if Democrats are not willing to spell out how their solutions will create jobs and how republican solutions do zero for job creation they better get used to losing. God knows the average person isnt going to bother to figure it out themselves.
ChicagoMatt, Pat Quinn is a rare commodity in politics, an honest, devoted public servant and not lacking in capability. He was simply in a spot and had to juggle priorities. All the states are victims of Grover Norquist's plan to "bankrupt the states" as he explicitly expressed a wish to do.
The question in Illinois is who is going to pay for the fiscal crisis, the people or the billionaires. Cuts to social programs and public services are a tremendous undue tax upon the working people. They then pay for it with lower quality water, education, healthcare, etc..
It is not enough to bring "jobs" to a region. It matters what kind of jobs those are and we must insist they be decent jobs. Poverty wage jobs will not bring prosperity but will cause us to work our asses off for the privilege of living in poverty.
Laying off government employees is the perverse opposite of a jobs program. Government should not be contributing to and spiraling an unemployment crisis.
Bruce Rauner, we must all know by now, is not a "job creator" by any stretch but quite the opposite. Like Mitt Rommney and other Wall Street type investment bankers, he has made a life for himself of eliminating jobs, degrading jobs and exporting jobs. I wouldn't expect him to suddenly change his concerns and forsake his vested interests. Rather, I think he entered politics to further those interests for himself and his cronies.
People's lost dog loyalty to the Republicans, in the misguided belief that they represent job creators, is, therefore, ultimatly only a suck ass loyalty to their boss. It reminds me of Britain's Conservative Party's 1987 election campaign slogan, "Do as you are told, vote conservative".
Also, don't fall for all the big business media hype. A lot of Illinoisians want to leave Illinois after last winter because of the weather.
The problem, in addition to everything else, is the two party duopoly. Even I was tempted to vote against Democrats and I would never vote for a Republican.
We have one rep, for example, John Quigley, who's a sponsor of the TPP fast track legislation. I sure didn't want to vote for him.
Fortunately there was a Green Party candidate on the ballot - whom I know personally and don't like much either - so I could vote against Quigley without "going from the frying pan to the fire" but many others might not have had that choice and even my vote ultimately helped the Republican..
Ou812, you never can get it. Most people who work for some rich asshole prefer to belong to a union (duh!), they, quite obviously, prefer to have some power to decide what their working life will be like. You right wing pigs only proved that elections can be bought - and the one place that didn't seem to happen, some anomolous case in Maryland, doesn't outweigh the massive bulk of proof of that obvious fact.
You tell me, if you feel so brilliant and are critical of our methods, what methods would work and lead to our success. I am quite critical myself of the methods my own side employs, as I have expressed on this blog. Some of it comes, ultimately, from the corrupting power of money on our own people. I think our side would, in fact, benefit from following my advice. I'm not sure, though, that some of our people want to succeed that much. They might rather have the money. Sold out again.
Mauiman2 ~ The Saudi's are biting the hands of their attack dogs? As crazy as that sounds it makes perfect sense. No one respects this country anymore--not even our allies. Why should the Saudi's? They don't even value their own people. Thanks for that most interesting tidbit! If that is truly the case, prices should stay down for quite a while. We sure as hell aren't going to attack or threaten Saudi Arabia. Also, my heart truly bleeds for the US producers! I hope they get squeezed tight.
Saudi are pumping oil into the market to try and sqeeze out the US producers. It is amazing it took this long for the laws of supply and demand to take over in the oil market.
I keep seeing paid messages on the internet: "CIA Insider Warns 2nd Great Depression is Coming". Why would someone pay for them?