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The truth is Judge is now on the GOP hit list. Just saying
Good for Judge Leon! Occasionally such surprises can spring from the most unlikely sources. However "almost Orwellian" is an understatement; I'd delete the "almost". (Remember Marc's post about the football game? Amazing...) Any suggestion that NSA's massive snooping free-for-all would be in the public interest or for "security" is simply false pretense. Only an ignoramus or a liar would make such an assertion. It is simply fascism du jour.
My optimism is guarded at best. The Supreme Court has let us down so many times, I'm not holding my breath. But Judge Leon deserves praise for his decision on this matter. - Aliceinwonderland
Jason, I can't think of a worse time to be apolitical. You're right about both parties; "squabbling children" seems a fair characterization. The answer to society's ills - and ours, collectively - could well be lying somewhere beyond the fascist Rethugs and corporatist Democrats. Creativity, resourcefulness, solidarity and militancy are worth cultivating in times like these; not apathy. - Aliceinwonderland
Dweinstein, what's that supposed to mean? How is Sandlewould being a "ghost"? She makes some valid points about our sorry excuse for a media. I agree with her assertion that had Martin Luther King been alive today, he would most likely have been ignored, as more contemporary social leaders are currently ignored. I see nothing in either of her posts to warrant criticism or dismissal. - Aliceinwonderland
<B>Mortgage modifications: Jefferson, CA eminent domain.</B>
Over the long term the banks make money too. They just don't want to report the write down on their books, take their loss in the short term.
Debt deflation is short term thinking which will crash the system.
I try so hard to be optimistic, but I see way too many parallels with the decline and fall of the Roman Empire. Our government is so broken, I don't know how it can be fixed. Both parties act like squabbling children (albeit with unlimited money and loaded guns!).
I am rapidly becoming apolitical.
Jason N-G
Robert Reich is right, the so called conservatives aren't conservatives! They are regressives.
A real conservative would say we need to get out of the recession, the way you get out is to employ people directly! Because I'm a real conservative and not a regressive, I'm going to make sure government money is spent wisely!
They aren't socio paths, they are abusive perpertrators who define what other people are. Jill Stein said we need to break with this abusive crowd!
Jesse Jones made sure the reconstruction finance corporation books balanced making the depression era public bank a success.
How about "affluenza" for the word of the day?
The sad truth is that, since the G W Bush coup, much of the legislation passed seems to have been unconstitutional..specifically with regard to the bill of rights. Ironic, considering the oaths they all take to uphold the constitution.
Stop being a ghost and become a spirit....
Funny, the people holding us back are those that we elect. That would indicate that the people that "we" are allowed to select from are themselves deficient. It would seem to me that somehow, those that we are allowed to select from are "plants".
Perhaps it is time to dissolve the corrupt form of government that has been created for us. Many questions have gone un answered or have been answered with out right lies such as the Kennedy assasinations, the King assasination, watergate, veitnam, the bush crime family and how anti-american republiCONs have managed to destroy this country.
Perhaps Prescott Bush should have been EXECUTED for treason instead of being allowed to continue to be a senator which he did until kennedy was assasinated.
What a coincidence.
As long as corporate money remains speech. We are doom.
Growing up in middle America in the 1960's, times were turbulent. In small town, Northern California, life was protected from the anti-war protests, the Watts Riots, the attack dogs of Alabama, and a decade of tragedy: John, Bobby, and Martin. The ideals of The Pledge of Allegiance, the Declaration of Independence, and having learned about the horror of WWII and The Holocaust. The students in the streets spoke to mr though they were a half-generation older than I.
Thinking back over the years an idealism that bound together a decade or two into one of hope, a belief in "equal and inalienable rights for all members of the human family." Some people along the path, seems the passion of an entire generation born out of the Kansas Dust Bowl; a society ripped apart by the Great Depression; young men by the millions thrown into WWII and after four, bloody years resolved to change the course of mankind. The toil of progress is painful and slow to achieve. Thomas Jefferson brought to to the world: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness..." The struggles of the Great Depression have been lost to books and historians. The passion for justice sought in Berkeley have faded with the wind. Newscasters of a foregone era with their steadfast wisdom have been replaced by TV models with TelePrompters. While we discuss tax policies, trade agreements, and Citizens United, a seriously failed, unspoken common thread lurks its way through the chatter. Our discussions fail to recognize the person, the living, breathing soul. Having commoditized our lives into highly segregated divisions, it is difficult to find the dignity of a person. Our rights are steadily being stripped with our knowledge and consent. Voter rights are steadfastly being chipped away. Be it race or religion; gay or straight; whether you have healthcare or can't afford it; or obtain a quality education. (In some cities, 40% drop out if high school.). I invite you to a little exercise the next time you are stopped in traffic or sitting in a mall. Notice everyone who walks by. Imagine they have universal healthcare. Imagine they graduated from college without significant debt. Imagine they have decent paying jobs. Imagine companies compete in a reasonably regulated market system. Imagine elected officials respond to the voters and not lobbyists and their ATMs.
Branski, what is your definition of a "liberal"? And how would you support such a broad generalization about liberals, claiming they no longer believe poor people have rights? If you really believe this, then how do you distinguish a liberal from a right-wing fascist?
Bobbler makes an excellent point about Democrats and liberals not being the same.
Great discussion
"ckrob", your point is spot-on. The reason I explained it further was that you'd given me the impression you needed further explanation. I guess there's nothing to explain when there is no logic, only false pretense. You can't make sense of the nonsensical any more than you can defend the indefensible.
>>>. Even liberals no longer believe that the human rights listed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights actually apply to America's poor.
Wooooah, who are these liberals? Don't confuse democrats with liberals. Because of corporate money, Both parties Democrat and Republican, are Essentially one party when it comes to economic policies that favor the one person (I mean screw the 99%).. Take the political compass test, and There will be a graph at the end showing yourself in relation to others.. The key thing to know is both Democrats and Republicans are both authoritarian conservative quadrant of the graph.
Apropos to #32 ~ The internet is full of nonsense and trickery. Perhaps one of the biggest "phoney" (pardon the pun) claims is the cell phone/popcorn experiment. If you haven't seen it yet, here it is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qSToR6hj0I
Palindromedary ~ Very possible. Or, the camera, table and glass may simply have been suspended upside down and filmed in slow motion like you suggest. A centrifuge is a bit elaborate when simple suspension and two-way tape would work just as well. Nevertheless, we can't believe any of these wild claims face value. Repetition of the experiments under documented circumstances must be done. I'm just curious as to which claims deserve the efforts to pursue. In all likelihood, anything that has merit has already been documented. Yet, you are very right to be very skeptical, even with claims that have been documented.
For instance, the PAPP engine. After some mental testing I find one grave danger with the idea. By sealing gases in a cylinder, if for some reason the piston becomes stuck when the gases are excited the cylinder will explode. The only way to insure safe operation of the engine is to incorporate an emergency release valve somewhere in the gas chamber. Of course with such a mechanism in place, one failure and the gas will be lost. The design that I've seen requires the engine to be disassembled to install more gas. I'm sure there is a simple solution to this problem. However, before I waste any of my time trying to find it I want to see a working prototype in action. The fact that one hasn't been developed and incorporated into anything commercial to date is very suspect. It is hard to believe that the establishment would prevent the advent of such a great idea. It is far more likely that they would have stolen and perfected it themselves. I'm very curious about what the truth is.
Mored ~ The words you claim to be ambiguous are actually quite plain and simple. "Inherent Dignity" means the respect any person deserves simply for being a human being. "Equal" means that no one is entitled to more or less human respect than anyone else. An "Inalienable Right" is one that cannot be taken away by anyone; or, that cannot be given away by anyone.
There is nothing ambiguous about any of these words or rights they describe, except to the few who wish to deny them to others. There is a growing effort of the very rich to oppress the very poor. The more oppression the more profit. The only thing standing in their way is the law. Reducing the "Inherent Dignity" that all people share "Equally" for the oppressed makes violation of their "Inalienable Rights" much easier and profitable. Nothing more and nothing less. The framers of these documents took great pain to keep the language as unambiguous as possible to be understood clearly by all people for all time.
The ability to legally treat people like cattle, or disposable cogs in a machine, is what this nonsense is really about. This is an effort that has been tried before. That is why this law was written in the first place.
AIW, look at my response's first sentence. I state that I agree with the points you made. You don't need to convince me. My point is about the conflicting logic the Repubs are trying to get away with.
At this moment, I think that we, as a people, are very uncertain about those concepts. Even liberals no longer believe that the human rights listed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights actually apply to America's poor. I'm pretty sure that they regard the poor as something less than people, and we now have a generation that can't even grasp the concept of allowing a measure of dignity to those pushed into poverty. It would be like taking a stand for the dignity of chickens or ants. "Inalienable" anythings are easily amended to fit the whims of whomever is in power.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is certainly a timeless sentiment that has been echoed by many, including Jesus Christ, who of course is one of the most famous human rights activists in recorded history, right on through to Pope Francis.
Todays Fascists consider such sentiment as Marxist. Don't ask me why, ask Beckerhead or Limpbaugh. What they're really afraid of is the threat of economic fairness created by legislation that would temper their financial gluttony.
I fail to see any ambiguity, perhaps if you were to review and meditate on the founding documents, the Declaration, the Preamble to our framework for governance, both well summed four score and seven years later....the answer as to what words apply would become more clear to you; less ambiguous.
If you think low-wage workers have it rough, consider all those pushed out of our shrinking job market. Think a minute. The US shipped out the bulk of our manufacturing and tech jobs in recent decades, thanks to massive annual corporate tax cuts, NAFTA, etc. As jobs were leaving, Clinton wiped out welfare and created a mandatory (super-cheap) workfare replacement workforce, actually creating more poverty (but protecting corporate profits). Fewer jobs, more people in desperate need of jobs. This generation of Democrats and liberals repsonded to the growing crisis by simply writing US poverty out of the discussion. Seriously. If you aren't employed, you become invisible. We know that not everyone can work, due to health or circumstances, and that there are simply not jobs for all who need one. So what is our respense to all those left behind? We simply pretend they don't exist. We don't see their suffering any more than we would notice the suffering of a sparrow as it dies from cold and lack of food. Low wage workers are still hanging on by a thread, and still have human status. Weirdly (or interestingly), the last society to conclude that human worth is based solely on employability/income was Nazi Germany.