Recent comments
ADHD: Hunter in a Farmer's World
Thom Hartmann has written a dozen books covering ADD / ADHD - Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder.
Join Thom for his new twice-weekly email newsletters on ADHD, whether it affects you or a member of your family.
Thom's Blog Is On the Move
By webmaster
Hello All
Thom's blog in this space and moving to a new home.
Please follow us across to hartmannreport.com - this will be the only place going forward to read Thom's blog posts and articles.
That is not true, I have a address, a bank account, cable, phone and power bills, auto insurance and US checks. I received all of them no problem, As a Canadian. I am told all i have to do is pass a test to get a drivers licence in AZ. Looking over their shoulder? They jumped a fence to get there they don't care about voting it is the last thing on their mind.
Oh by the I have no desire to vote down there I am a Canadian and proud of it. This is where I vote. I just go down there like hundreds of thousands of Canadians to get out of the cold for a while.
But I still don't understand. What is the big deal. All AZ is trying to do, is trying to stop illegals from voting, what is wrong with that? dAnnemarc you wouldn't want me voting down there would you? Oh by the way I can only be out of my country 6 months of the year because I live in a country with government health insurance they get to decide things like that for me, don't you just love socialism.
With much of national security privatized...... we can now be certain of perpetual national insecurity. In other words privatization of national security is totally incompatible with a peaceful and secure nation. Peace and security would render these private companies obsolete. We know by past experience with the military industrial complex that perpetual war and terror even if it has to be manufactured is always the case.
True peace and security will never be allowed to exist or stand in the way of the massive out of control spending that military industrial lobbyist groups help foment. Privatized national security is just another sad example of what disaster capitalism has brought us.
We the tax payers have a right to know who all the owners of these private companies are, what background checks indicate about their past history, and how much of our money is going into their dirty little hands.
We the tax payers need to be certain that folks running these companies have never been involved in record setting Medicare/Medicaid fraud, been caught being a public nuisance by soliciting for airport bathroom sex, have never outed a CIA agent, etc.......stuff that makes one unfit to be involved in any kind of tax supported public service that requires the public trust.
Voting is a right that should be added to the Constitution. My house rep Mark in Congress from Madison Wisconsin has trying to add Voting is a right that Congress should pass and let the people in the states vote on to add to the constitution.
Amy is Madison Wisconsin
After reading some of the comments about proof of citizenship Metadata concepts seemed to chime in to me. Some of the sifting done by massive Metadata manipulation is supposed to be able to isolate who, what, where, or when for millions of Americans in analysis to generate a report. It is ideal for not only for security in war, but a huge advantage in marketing watching consumer trends.
Moreover, it is interesting and very powerful information that can be abused in political applications. If this has been done by a political party or business entity such as in electronic journalism, Americans can say with confidence the Constitution has been breached.
What jumps out to me is if these Metadata algorithms have been carried over from the government sector, to the private sector. What is really sweet is the concept that those secret NSA programming algorithms are benched marked in real time adding to a no risk business startup. Here many can understand why Republicans like to privatize. Here it stands out obviously American tax dollars are used secretly to develop such application under the disguise of national security. Then quietly transferred to the public sector never known because of that term called the Business trade secret!
Very compelling government social structure which is a failed integrity yet appears to be too big to fail. An extraordinary way to sack the government by intellectuals with intention where it would not fail as long the program can relate to national security. My hunch, this has been as routine as those congressional people move from an elected office into a lobbyist. Many can wonder where those Contract NSA people go. Likely go somewhere for the best price. Remember money talks and Metadata concepts are shouting pretty loud right now.
Kend ~ No you can't. No driver's license. No state ID. No bank account. No bank loan, auto insurance, or ability to legally cash a check. You have no redress for any complaint, no ability to pay rent, pay utilities, or, even pay for water services. You are totally screwed. If you do any of these thing you do so illegally and are always looking over your shoulders. The idea that an illegal can vote in any election with impunity is ridiculous. If you doubt me--please try! DAM
What is the message society is sending to children about Edward Snowden? I was talking to a few children about snitching. I said, “Snitching is a sign of good character to be brave and couragous to make the world a better place”. The reply was, “This is just what you say. In real life snitches get beaten and thrown in prison”.
What is the message society is sending to children about Edward Snowden? I was talking to a few children about snitching. I said, “Snitching is a sign of good character to be brave and couragous to make the world a better place”. The reply was, “This is just what you say. In real life snitches get beaten and thrown in prison”.
No i didn't DAnne M that's why it seemed so stupid. So what's the big deal then. Oh by the way you don't have to provide anything here to get a drivers licence you just have to pass the test. So are you saying that if you are not a US citizen you can't get a drivers license there.
A L A N G R A Y S O N 2013,'14,'15,'16... !!!
Kend ~ Yes Kend! Many things only seem stupid to you. That is the price you pay for being so special! Have you ever applied for a drivers license in any American state? When you do--if you do--you will learn that you need to provide documentation as to your status of citizenship. Your birth certificate as well as your social security number are standard requirements. A drivers license or state ID is more than representative of conclusive official verification of citizenship. Didn't you already know that?
So if I understand this properly, as a Canadian with a home in Arizona. All I have to do is get a drivers licence and I could vote. If that is correct does that only seem stupid to me.
Pogo met Charlie Brown and yu are the result.
(not to ignore any particular Arizona-style BS, but) Our entire election system should be seen as a national disgrace and embarassment.... Diebold... "Citizens United"... two-party stranglehold... criminal voter supression, voter disenfranchisement, and Secretaries of State... gerrymandering... the Electoral College... low voter turnout... (at the very least, uniform standards state to state and precinct to precinct ought to be expected). We should be able to do much, much, much, better.
Ridiculous poll question, with even more ridiculous choices between two NO answers.
The actual fact-based answer is YES!
Corporations own the government of America, Inc. (a wholly owned subsidiary of the global market-state). The government owned by the corporate entities serves to police the people, and that is why corporations control the policing of the public.
The reason corporations own the government is that corporations have long owned 99% of the voters... all those who have voted for the corporate party's (R)s and (D)s.
______________________________
petition of protest:
something most often signed by people who voted for Democrats, so they'd have plenty of policies to protest
an inadequate number of people's signatures collected, in a delusional attempt to persuade corporate party installed politicians to do some good, after the 99% has provided a massive — effectively unanimous — popular vote mandate to only have more (R) & (D) evil done
political demonstrations:
events corporate party operatives organize to dissipate dissent, and moderate movements
something mostly attended by people complaining about getting what they either voted for, or refused to vote against
places where "progressives" predate, hunting for the weak minded and weak willed, to turn dissenters into Democrat assenters
progressive coalition:
a collaboration that moves dissidents' politics away from the Left, progressively further and further on into the Right
______________________________
The APT: American Political Terms:
www.chenangogreens.org
I live in Southern Arizona (Gabby's district, near Tucson). All I can say is there is a lot of bigotry that serms to emenate from the crowds that moved to Arizona from northern areas. These folks don't appear to be adjusting well to the indigenous environs, the Historic Arizona that encompasses Mexican and Southwest cultures. Southern Arizona fares better than the densely populated Phoenix area.
http://tucsoncitizen.com/view-from-baja-arizona/2011/03/21/baja-arizona-...
^There's a movement to divide our beautiful State in two, the lower part becoming the 51st State, "Baja Arizona." There is such a disconnect from the north which is way more conservative and focused on differences, or blinded to differences in the case of dropping Mexican/Hispanic studies in our public schools. I love the Mexican and Native American influences down here, which are great. This area has a flavor and magic all its own and is a wonderful place to live.
There are forces here that will go against the disenfranchisement of our people(s).
Wow! Since I seem to be on a roll of repeating myself, please allow me to repeat myself. This is in response to the notion what we might do to repeal all this unwarranted "Hoovering" that the NSA is engaged in. People want to read meaningful solutions more than complaints. Here's a solution that blends in perfectly with this blogs main topic. Enjoy:
- See more at: http://www.thomhartmann.com/blog/2013/06/senator-elizabeth-warren-stands-us-again#sthash.sNwjF4ZD.dpuf
Bravo for SCOTUS! Finally, they are looking out for the people. Speaking about looking out for We the People--Bravo to Edward Snowden! Let's return that favor and sign this petition to pardon his recent whistle blowing actions:
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/pardon-edward-snowden/Dp03vGYD
Meanwhile, I recently posted this in praise of another petition being circulated by Representative Alan Grayson (D-Florida). Please sign this one as well. The privacy you save may be your own.
(D-Fl) is passing around this petition to repeal the NSA spying program and restore The Constitution:
http://mindyourownbusinessact.com/?source=Jun13Email
I urge everyone to sign it immediately. This spying technique makes me feel less safe.The intelligence community pre-911 had done its job and provided President Bush in ample time all the information he needed to prevent that attack. They knew who, where and how. 911 happened because President Bush chose to ignore that intelligence. We don't need this illegal, unconstitutional, ridiculous and indiscriminate mass collection of data. No Government agency, or private company, or system of computers is capable of making heads or tails out of all this mostly garbage information. Garbage in garbage out. Meanwhile this poses a serious threat to the security of the nation by telling would be terrorists that they cannot communicate remotely. This drives them off the radar chart completely. In addition, it ties the hands of our investigators by making them look for a needle in a haystack instead of focusing on probable cause and likely suspects. Eventually, because of ignoring The Constitution and trying to do their job the easiest way possible, we will be hit again. It is only a matter of time. This nonsense will not work to defend our nation and will only accomplish destroying The Constitution and the rule of law--the only thing this nation really has of timeless value. Destroying our Constitution, fundamental principles of human rights, and our way of life is the most damage any terrorist can ever hope to achieve! Yet, we are doing that for them!
Like President Franklin D. Roosevelt once said and we keep forgetting, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself!"
- See more at: http://www.thomhartmann.com/blog/2013/06/senator-elizabeth-warren-stands-us-again#sthash.sNwjF4ZD.dpuf
Is a Florida driver's license a proof of citizenship? So I should not have to show that to vote? With no proof of citizenship even visiting people from other countries can vote here, right? Isn't proof of citizenship needed to be registered and if a person is not registered you want them to vote anyway?
Warren 2016 !!!!
Republicans merely want to surpress the vote because there are too many Democrats for them to win unless they cheat. Even if they lose a few Republicans by this surpression, they eliminate even more Democrats because there are so many more Dems. If the rank and file of the Republican understood how "undemocratic" their Party leaders are behaving, they would leave the Party. Americans, whether Democratic leaning or Republican leaning are for fairness, honesty, and integrity. However, the leaders in the Republican Party will do whatever it takes to win, even if it means destroying the democratic process.
Arizona lawmakers are proud of their aggressive stance on denying Americans of their constitutional rights, especially when those rights go against the 'moral' grain of the far (women's reproductive rights) right Republican/Tea-bagger/religious right, or, just simply being on the list of probably Democratic voters. No, the political 'right' won't stop with a mere tap on the wrist by the Conservative right Supreme Court Justices. They are hell-bent for political glory and 'ain't nobody, no-where, no-how, gonna get in their way. The only answer is for Democratic politicians to grow a back-bone and stop allowing Republican Congressional gerrymandering.
Does this auger well for reining back on gerrymandering federal electoral districts so that election results more closely reflect votes cast?
I am glad that SCOTUS was able to see through Arizona's attempt to disenfranchise the voters that they didn't want to vote. Now some of the other states, such as Florida, that have laws limiting voting hours and voter registration need to follow suit. This nation was founded on a government that is run for and by the people of this country, so by allowing the disenfranchisment of voters we are potentially jeapordizing the future of this country because we are limiting the power that we as citizens have to alter our government. Good job to SCOTUS, today is a good day for freedom and the rights of the American People!!
Follow this link to sign a petition on the whitehouse.gov website to demand the pardon of Edward Snowden. At this posting there are 81 thousand signatures--only 19 thousand short of the 100 thousand signature goal. Thank you!
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/pardon-edward-snowden/Dp03vGYD
MMmmNACHOS ~ I have mixed feelings about that idea. The telecom industry isn't behind this mess. They are just cooperating with the law. After all, they need FCC approval to exist. They have no choice but to do what they are told. It is the law makers and their corporate sponsors who are behind this mess. Huge multi-national corporations who stand to profit the most by oppressing the people with threats of digital blackmail.
If you read my post above quoting the AP article, Microsoft calls it "Hoovering" after J. Edgar Hoover. There is no question as to what all this data collection is about--its about blackmail and control. If the spies got to Microsoft they probably have encoded "spy ware" right into the operating systems of all of our computers. Even as I type this it is probably being recorded and stored in a database somewhere. Very well. I write it to be publicly read anyway.
There is little action we can take to prevent this other than demanding our constitutional rights. Of course, a boycott, in and of itself isn't a bad idea. To do that effectively one would need to know exactly whom are behind pushing this legislation. Palindromedary might be a good source for that list. I don't have the time to dig for it today but I'll take a poke in the dark: The Petroleum Industry and The Pentagon (Military Industrial Complex ~ including every one of their contractors)
I might be wrong. It's just an educated guess. There are probably many more Corporate entities with their hand in the pie as well. So for a start I imagine that if you are willing to stop driving your car and paying your taxes you might be able to make a dent in the source of the problem. Good luck getting everyone else to do the same on cue. Don't forget, there is already a large group in the population that are already doing just that--they are called homeless people. Their sacrifices are going unnoticed.
Fortunately, there is a better plan that is already in place and ready to deal with just this kind of a problem. You may have heard of it. It is called The Constitution. Patient insistence on adhering to the document that all our representatives have already sworn an oath to protect and defend is the most powerful and effective tool we have at our disposal to remedy the situation at hand. You may interpret the word "insistence" as you wish. A class action lawsuit against the United States government that goes all the way to the Supreme Court might be a good idea. We the People vs The United States Government. Catchy name, isn't it? How much is your privacy worth to you?
The writing is already on "The Wall!"