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But the brainless, cowardly, fools in the US, while they may see some American father whose family was just murdered by someone as justified in killing the murderers (whether it be by official execution or by on his own initiative) they somehow conveniently forget about the murders of women and children that their own "brave heroes" in uniform committed against some other father's family in another country.
Hartmann again is overly dramatic because the person he is focusing on is a Republican he has distaste for. I live in California with a Democrat as Governor, Brown (who I voted for). I doubt Hartmann would go after Brown and state on his headliner for his blog - Brown kills an innocent man convicted of murder. And, no I am not a conservative Republican or a liberal Democrat. It is that so many think Hartmann can walk on water, when he is just another liberal out to nail any conservative, and uses the most dramatic wording to address the issue. How about if he just starts by asking the question is the death penalty a just method of dealing with this issue? I guess that would not fire up the crowd in the same manner, after all he has to throw some "red meat" for his followers to jump on.
And so, how should we deal with those who committed lots of deaths of innocent people...women and children even? The war crimes that our country has committed against other countries need to be tried in a world war-crimes court and the murderers convicted and thrown into prison for life. And this should reach the top levels of our ruling elite structure..the top brass, elected officials, and corporate maggots who profited from mega-deaths.
What is even scarier is that a lot of flag waving toadies will believe what the harbingers of death and destruction embedded in our very government and military say.
I feel kinda sorry (not) for those suckers who just can't break out of their propagandized and proselytized memes. They will always be prisoners of the ruling elite because they are too afraid to question authority. When people get proselytized into the nationalist religion, preached by the ruling elite, they will all, eventually, figuratively, swallow the rat poison laced cool aid. The Jim Jones Guyana massacre was a mind-control experiment that will be echoed big time in the US one day. Actually, there were many mind-control experiments and lots of victims fell for their rubbish.
But it is really just a metaphor for how malleable and gullible many Americans (USians) are for believing the lies of authority. It may not be rat poison in cool aid but more rather like a slow die off of what the few in power consider riff-raff. They know that they could one day be an impediment to their lofty perches above all mankind should the people all rebel.
The biggest thing standing in the way between bringing them all down and our possible massive die off are people who either too dumb to see the danger or they are collaborators who are either being paid or who falsely believe that they too will make it to Valhalla with the rest of the "gods". At least, they think they are gods and that we are scum!
The cowardly toadies who defend their oppressors and who are used as tools and a buffer between the evil terrorists at the top and the masses of their unfortunate victims will rot in their graves as shamed fools or collaborators.
I agree that the death penalty in most cases does not prevent those who would kill others from committing horrific crimes. What should we do with criminals who kill other people? Do we just lock them up without the possibility of parole and hope that will deter others from committing capital crimes? Perhaps that is a viable alternative for those convicted of killing people, especially children. Should we allow more appeals before enforcing the death penalty, when there are eye witnesses who testify they saw the individual commit murder and there is irrefutable evidence against them, not just forensic evidence? The death penalty is a form of vengeance against those convicted of murdering others. Should we eliminate all retribution by death against criminals who commit these types of crimes in hopes they will be rehabilitated and not kill others in prison while incarcerated? I know if I saw someone kill a family member, my first impulse would be for swift and absolute retribution in the same manner that was dealt to the victim. But does the judicial system have the right to kill people, when mistakes could have been made in their conviction? I am not sure what the correct punishment should be for those who are convicted of murder and given the death penalty, because obviously no system is perfect and mistakes have been made by overzealous prosecutors and witnesses who are out to even a score against the accused. There are several groups who have been successful in having people released from prison who were serving life sentences for capital crimes and had they been given the death penalty, it would have been too late to correct the mistake made by the judicial system. And yet, there are those who have committed capital crimes against humanity that are so agregious, like killing children or death by torture, that the death penalty seems justified. Most of those convicted for committing capital crimes usually remain on death row for over ten years before being executed. And is that enough time to allow the system to justly review a person’s innocence or guilt? I would have to agree with Hartmann on this one, and give life sentences without the possibility of parole and they should be completely separated from all others in the prison system so they could not have the opportunity to kill again. KW
Maybe they'll get some mickey mouse (MIC) company like Stratfor to take the blame...or a few patsies in Stratfor to take the blame? Plausible deniability...get someone else to fall on their swords while the real criminals get away with it all to live another day.
Yes, Komrad Ken, I totally agree!
The cockroaches will survive long after humans are extinct. I wonder if there is a cockroach God? I can't imagine an anthropomorphic god being happy playing sadistic, psychotic little mind games with cockroaches. But I can't even imagine an anthropomorphic god either. I guess I have no imagination! And with that...I hear, in my mind, a favorite Beatles tune. So I bid you all adieu for now.
It is sad to see the same small group of haters, spewing their venom neurotically over and over again. Am I the only person who is saddened by their words of contempt for anyone and everyone who disagrees with their hatred? Very sad...Everything that happens is a plot to gain more power by the government. Now that is scary logic and even scarier is that they believe what they say.. And if you do not agree, you are just one more duped individual falling for the lies. For me life is good, pleasant and secure. I feel sorry for those who have not acquired that life style because of their fear...Well, it's time to go see my grandson and enjoy even more of the gifts in my life. I truly hope the haters and conspiracy theorists find peace and happiness someday, before their time allotment is over. I guess I am just one of those lucky guys who dosen't have to hate and believe there is a conspiracy going on to destroy our freedom, to feel alive and important. Have a great day; I know I will...K.W. P.S. Feel free to vent your anger and hatred concerning my comments, if it helps you, go for it...
I agree! ;-} except it's nice that she is attacking the CIA...love that part! But you're still right...she blows! Just part of the wealthy oligarchy.
Diane Feinstein blows.
The Russian are coming! Everyone please to get from street!
Aliceinwonderland says " socialists have priorities like "free" healthcare and education," yep we sure do. I used the word "affordable," but what I really meant to say was .....sectors like energy, healthcare, and education need to be part of the "commons." We all contribute, pitch in, and share, according to our talents and abilities, much of this done with progressive taxation....I always thought that was the Christian way? At least the Pope gets it!
Good to hear Big Eddy is now against the Kochstone pipeline! Hard to spill wind and sun into aquifers!
AIW: Very interesting piece about Wyden. Incidentally, I had a friend whose wife dated Wyden (that was before my friend knew her, of course, and, I think, before he was married..but you never know about these Congress Critters...as Jim Hightower usually called them).
Diane Feinstein is starting to create big waves with the CIA's spying on them...makes me wonder about the potential wag-the-dog missing airliner. Thank goodness I don't have to fly anymore!
See how they proselytize and propagandize future canon fodder....Boy Scouts...no less. Nazi Germany had Hitler's Youth...we have Boy Scouts and JROTC.
http://www.scoutsongs.com/lyrics/balladofthegreenbaret.html
http://www.thenation.com/article/177603/americas-child-soldiers
They should rename it FCFOA (Future Canon Fodder of America).
AIW: I know...I'm sooooo baaad! Say something nice about the US? I like Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream! ;-} Further....I'm kinda starting to like Diane Feinstein again...since she is calling out the CIA for their crimes although she seems to only be ticked off that they were spying on them. She didn't seem to mind that they were spying on us. But at least it's a start.
The US is so far off course from trying to set a good example to the rest of the world...a token example just would not matter much. Yes, it would definitely be very, very nice to see the corrupt United States of America finally start to set good examples. Rick Perry should be tarred and feathered and run out of Texas on a rail. He's scum!
But, on a brighter note...how about that Diane Feinstein (e i e i oh)? Old Mr. Brennan had a farm...eieio. And on that farm he had some spies...eieio. A whach whack here, a whack whack there, here a whack, there a whack..everywhere a whack whack! Yeah, anyway....
She is calling out the CIA for spying on Congress members! (hurray for Diane Feinstein...for a change). She might not mind the CIA or NSA spying on Americans but when they spy on her and other Congress members she gets a little upset? Well, at least that's something...we can only hope that, like in the 70s, these too-big-for-their-britches SOBs will have their nails clipped...declawed, in fact.
And, of course, Brennan is denying the whole thing claiming that he will get to the bottom of it and report to Congress anything he finds. Yeah, right! What he will most likely do is find some lowly patsy, who the upper echelon of the CIA ordered to spy on Congress, then have him or her (or them) take all the blame. Then they'll do it all over again...until they get caught again...when they will find other patsies to take the blame.
And in the mean time...all the attention is now being put on that airliner that disappeared over the Straits of Malacca. Have you noticed the major news media with Wolf Blitzer showing that graphic insert showing someone's concept of the path of that airliner doing a 180 degree turn and headed back where it disappeared? They played it over and over and over again as if they were trying to hypnotize that image into people. And similar to 911 they had images of a couple of guys who is alleged to have stolen passports. Is this another wag-the-dog distraction by the powers-that-be that can cause planes to crash into tall buildings or disappear...all the while trying to implicate terrorists? The CIA needs a wag-the-dog right now don't they?
Oh PD, you're so unpatriotic! When are you going to stop bashing America? We're the ultimate authority on Freedom & Democracy! Everyone else in the world hates us because we're so free! For once I'd like you to say something nice and positive about America. After all, freedom isn't free! If you want freedom you have to fight for it. Fight, fight, fight... for freedom! That's why Obama keeps pulverizing all those evil Pakistanis and Afghanis and Yemenites with his drones; for freedom! That's why we have America's brave warriors massacring unarmed Iraqi civilians from helicoptors, urinating and spitting on corpses, and raping children... so that we can have freedom of speech (and all the oil our freedom-loving hearts desire!). Drones for Democracy! Now, that would make a great bumper sticker- wouldn't it! - AIW
I just received a letter from Ron Wyden, one of our two Oregon senators, regarding the TPP. It's his response to a letter I sent him months ago, pleading for him to please oppose the TPP. Apparently my efforts were in vain. Take a load of this crap, my friends! Senator Wyden claims this so-called agreement will "set norms for the trade of goods and services and include disciplines related to intellectual property, access to medicines, Internet governance, investment, government procurement [of what?!], workers' rights and environmental standards". Whoopie. (How nice and sanitary these guys make it sound!) "If agreed to," Wyden continues, "the TPP will set the tone for our nation's international economic future for years to come, impacting the way Congress intervenes and acts on behalf of the American people it represents." What follows this is an even more outrageous claim that the TPP is "important to the economy of the Pacific Northwest, and especially Oregon"… HUH? Whaa...?!!!
Just goes to show that an overwhelming majority of our politicians are nothing more than worthless patsies, the equivalent of Stepford wives, for the billionaires who own our senators along with the corporations. Billionaire Welfare Queens are the only ones who will benefit from this obscenely fascist "New World Order" the TPP is an integral part of.
I will never vote for Senator Wyden again. He also supports the LNG export facility Jordan Cove and that Williams pipeline company are busy shoving down our throats here in Coos County, subjecting us to all these risks and liabilities with no substantial benefits; just for the "privilege" of being Canada's stepping stone to Asia! They'll be stepping all over us with Senator Wyden's blessings, apparently. The guy is such an idiot. Each time I've voted for Senator Wyden in the past, it was a "lesser evil" vote. As always, this is what my "lesser evil" vote gets me: taxation without representaton!
Once again, our old blog buddy Nachos comes to mind. How I miss that guy. He could be strident and obnoxious on occasion, but it was rare for me to disagree with him on anything. Ole Nachos sure was spot-on about voting lesser evils into office, because evil is exactly what we get. With a smile, and all these shallow generic niceties like "Thank you for contacting me" and "I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue…" Yeah right. "Thank you and screw you" is more like it.
The hell with the Democrats! Maybe I oughta re-register as an independent, like Bernie Sanders. - Aliceinwonderland
Careful Ken, you don't want to get your "relative in the Navy" into trouble, do you? Remember the old saying: "Loose Lips Sink Ships". Although I'm certainly very happy that "Loose Lips" might eventually sink the ruling elite's ship. They are very much deserving of being sunk!
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Yes, just as I thought would happen! The US terrorist criminals just can't stand having popularly elected Presidents that aren't in their control so they invade and murder many thousands of innocent civilians...women and children. Who will it be next? Venezuela or Chile or any number of other countries south of the border (the new Iron Curtain that the US has put up? And now the US is considering using Israelis, who are very experienced in their Gestapo ruthlessness against Palestinians, use their talent on our southern border.
Anyone who willingly lets, or encourages, their children to join up in these murdering terrorist organizations deserve the heartbreaking folly they let themselves in for. Some people, however, have very little choice because our criminal overlords have manipulated the economy so that young people have little choice but to enter those terrorist organizations where they learn and believe in phrases like: "Kill em all...let God sort em out?" "Our business is killing and business is good!" Sieg Heil! And once they are brainwashed, if they manage to survive, they continue the rest of their lives believing the hogwash crap they were taught. Semper Fi, ya'all!
Or, perhaps the US is putting plans into effect to do to some of the Latin American leaders they don't like what they did to Allende? Fund and administer another coup? As has been shown in Ukraine, Syria and all the other countries whose governments have fallen "from within?" the US is very good at fomenting instability and internal dissent in these countries.
I've been in Caracas, Venezuela many years ago when I was in the service and even way back then we were warned not to get into any political discussions with the Venezuelans because they were very anti-US. They were not happy about the US politics and war machine hegemony in Vietnam nor with their corporate hegemony in Venezuela or the rest of the southern hemisphere. And I certainly agree with them!
I certainly agree with Maj Gen Smedley Butler. The criminal US goon squads (thugs) are sent in to loot and pillage all they can. And they really are not too particular who they murder to get control of the country to install their puppet President.
The ruling elite are scared to death that their days are numbered because of the good examples of kinder-gentler-fairer socialist systems of government that treat the majority of their citizens with more equality than does the corrupt, selfish, greedy, and ruthless capitalist-pig US government controlled by the 1% ruling elite who foster fake democracy here at home. Democracy is great...too bad we don't have any. It's fake!
There are "capitalists" then there are "capitalist pigs". Many people who have retirement investments are really, in effect, capitalists..they are trying to save and preserve their capital so that they can retire without being in poverty. But it is the capitalist pigs who eventually connive and cheat and steal everything from everyone else. They are evil!
Marc says to Ken Ware: "Pardon us for exercising our cherished free speech that you fought so hard to give us", asserting that free speech "is what really makes this country great and, separates us from every other nation in the world." EVERY nation, Marc? Really?! And do you honestly believe any of these wars of aggression our government has waged over this past century have had anything remotely do with protecting our so-called right to "free speech"? Did the Vietnamese, El Salvadorans, Cubans, Iraqis or Afghanis try snatching away this "uniquely American" freedom of ours? If so, how? And if you can't support the argument that these countries threatened our freedom of speech, or any other freedom for that matter, then please explain how Americans who attacked and occupied those countries were fighting to "give" us the very freedom we deprived the Vietnamese, Cubans, El Salvadorans, Afghanis and Iraqis of, on their turf. Because frankly, Marc, I've never been able to make much sense out of these assertions. They just don't seem to add up via any kind of logic. Yet they have been repeated so much, by so many Americans, they sound like cliches... with no substance.
For exercising his right of free speech, Michael Moore has endured house bombings, along with repeated death threats to himself and members of his family. I've read about schoolteachers getting fired and blacklisted simply for telling their students that violence is not the way to resolve conflicts. Workers get fired for uttering the word "union". People are arrested all the time in this country for nonviolent protest. American citizens have been tortured or assassinated, without charge or trial, just for speeches or statements they've made that the president doesn't like. In California's prisons you can be shoved into solitary confinement if they don't like the books you're reading. Last I heard, journalists haven't been faring too well either. And we all know the fate of whistleblowers under the Obama Administration, not to mention the NSA's snooping over our phone records and online activities- HAH! So much for these grrrrreat mythical freedoms our draftees & enlistees fought so hard to "give" us.
Just one more point before I call it a night. Nobody "gives" us our freedom. It is something we're born with, that belongs to us, that can only be taken... not "given"! - Aliceinwonderland
Thom, I must respectfully disagree.
Friedman was trying to ameliorate the economic coercions created by as they understood them both Allende and Pinochet dictatorial decrees, and they did adopt the more owner-run social security and lower tax rates, along with such things as local control of schooling. Remember that Friedman is also the guy who helped bring the US such Libertarian ideas then rejected by many US progressives as getting rid of the draft, the Earned Income Credit, IRA's, B-corporations, and ending restrictive rules on local farmer's markets.
The L/libertarians in specific helped then get rid of Pinochet along with the other fascist and Communist dictators ( just as they're at work for secular democracy in the Mid-east), are an active presence in the country, and many support the new President for what she's trying to do for social tolerance and ecology. They're leading work on LGBT, abortion protection, and drug legalization issues there, which many Latin progressives are still getting to accept. Right now they're also working for a fairer electoral system and eventually direct democracy.
For information on the Libertarian eco-movement I suggest you check out the Libertarian International Organization at www.libertarianinternational.org
Hope this is helpful.
How many of our immigrant ancestors would have ever journied here if they'd been able to foresee the disasterous economic inequality our own country's long been subjected to from the inexcusably elite-coddling effect of failed Reaganomics? Chile's return to sanity after surviving their treacherous rollercoaster ride should be a clear lesson for all of us that Libertarianism can't sustain a civilized society.
Those imagining otherwise should open their eyes and consider the ample reasons the names of Richard Nixon and Milton Friedman will forever be historically linked with the sadisticly brutal dictator Pinochet.
I agree privattization is an evil that turns our non-profit government into a for profit organization. Bear in mind, profits are for the owners/shareholders of the selected contracted companies. These profits are not given to the workers, which is why the destruction of our collective bargaining system is also a major part of the problem. When FDR came out with the New Deal it was pure genius how he addressed so many problems in our system and fixed them to favor the majority of Americans is nothing short of incredible. To have something like that presented now would be laughable. Why? Because America has been brainwashed into believing that the 1% knows best and that they best represent "hardworking Americans". If every American took a course on the New Deal and another course on its disolution, they would easily see, regardless of party afilliation, how over the last 50 years wealth and income of the nation has polarized to dangerous levels. Banking reform was a major part of the New Deal and the repeal of Glasss Stegal Act, which was part of the New Deal that kept banks and security firms separate FOR A GOOD REASON, was eliminated during Clinton's administration. No party is blameless, but the vast majority of blame belongs with the republicans. I would venture to guess abut 90%. time for a now New Deal, but how can we get our politicians to go along with it?
No time for despair... Bernie Sanders for president!!!