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While I agree that a fine representing a minuscule portion of profits provides no incentive to do the right thing or to at least avoid breaking the law, closing Walmart for any period of time will hurt the poor people working at Walmart much more than Walmart's executives and the owners they report to.
I believe a better response would be criminal indictments against every executive involved in the decision making process that resulted in violations of the law AND a fine for the company equal to ten times the cost of any damage that resulted from the illegal actions.
I believe that if executives knew they could face prison terms, that would have a significant impact on their decision making process. The fine of 10 times the costs of damage done might motivate Walmart's owners to instruct their executives to avoid potential legal problems.
This reaction would not negatively impact the minimum wage people who work at Walmart because they can't get a better job.
I guess if signing legislation into law that is blatantly unconstitutional (like some of NDAA, for example, much of patriot act, CISPA...the only legislation congress seems to pass is something unconstitutional) he's doing a bang-up job of "defending" the constitution. Hell, if Repugs want to impeach him, they could do so based on violation of oath of office regarding defending the constitution...oh but I forgot, they agree on this point.
With the revolvolving doors offerring politicians huge saleries as lobbyists, not anytime soon and not without the media.
Sadly, when it comes to "legislation" like this, congress suddenly loses the dysfunction, or perhaps, epitomizes it.
The real question is, will progressives ever wake up and realize that Dems don't want to negotiate? We must stop trying to get Dems to be progressive...a huge waste of time and resources. Run-off elections and taking back our media...that's one place to start. Progressive Democrat; an oxymoron for sure!
Thom,
Why is that employers are always charachterized as "job creators"? Wouldn't it be more accurate to describe employers as "Requiring the labor services of employees in order to operate their business"?
I do agree with Thom.
Protecting corporations Constitution by Supreme Court monarchy, they are just modifying the term corporate charter to a fascist lite charter. If they could be held or consider corporations as being the person, they should be held responsible for their actions, for the crimes against laws, rules, and regulations we have this country that protects our environment we live in, and our financial system. This little hand slap that Wal-mart received is embarrassing to this country showing the other nations that we have a double standard we live by, that the top elite, the 1%’rs can escape prosecution for the violations they receive, but the common American will be prosecuted and sent to prison and fined. Not a good image we are presenting to the rest of the world. I personally believe that not only that they should lose their corporate charter, plus 1/4 in US dollars of the value of their Corporation in fines. The CEO, president and vice president to be brought up on charges, criminal charges for such violations and find 1/4 of their net worth, taken out on any property they do have such as their personal homes, vehicles, stock holdings, trusts and bank accounts on each one, not only here in this country but offshore banking.
Republicans have been successful by spreading lies and half-truths to their base. They are attempting to do the same to the mainstream by controlling the media. Our salvation is the Internet and radio such as Thom Hartmann. The truth wants to be free. Those who are convinced by the lies told by Republicans will not respond well to the truth about anything. You see how they are confused about climate change and gun control issues. In climate change Republicans are willing to dismiss the work of scientists all over the world because their local politician tells them this is a political issue. The last time science became political it was because religious leaders did not like the findings of scientists. Republicans in Congress have learned that it does not cost them to go against the folks who elected them when it comes to guns. This has emboldened them to tell even greater lies knowing they will not have to pay a price.
Thom Hartmann, keep speaking the truth . . . the truth will win out. If that is not true, then all is lost. By my nature I am positive. I expect the truth will finally crush the Republican Party when the rank and file finally discover the lies their leaders have told them for decades.
Reply to #3, sandlewould: I agree with you, lets face it, the media is our connection to governmental workings. If this connection becomes flawed and manipulated by big money and their desire for big power, then we the people have nothing more than a system not unlike the old USSR, one far removed from functional democracy. First liberate the media and then we have a fighting chance to liberate ourselves......it's the frontline.....truth matters.
I am a baby-boomer...tried to live and love life to the fullest, and always will. Became a Sp.Ed. teacher and am now retiring. I look at my students almost with pity for having to live the next 60 years. I know many older people lament the ills of the new generation. But this time it seems so real. Technology so infiltrated into the human system that effective, face-to-face communication is being eliminated; a ruling class that controls the fortunes and thinking of a whole country. They will throw us a bone every now and again - to calm us down (hey, go out and demonstrate for 2 hours!) - but the goal is to control the population's mind and the body in a capitalistic system that eats everything in its way. And thus, the consumer is consumed.
I missed something here. What is it that Monstanto did wrong?
The corporate control of our news media is unacceptable
Watching C-span the other night was interesting, the college professions spent time explaining “The MOOC” approach to education, Massive Open Online Course just in the last twenty years.
My reason to introduce this is to connect the education system honestly to the modern electromagnetic journalist system we call the internet news medium. MOOC is making a quantum jump. These professionals left anyone, to what appears is, the academics do not understand what will happen in the future.
But they know what is going on in society is lopsided, the education and economic American dream, needs to be corrected. New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman in a cynical way said that what is happening is not sustainable. The MOOC will blow up. I say he is wrong.
What needs to be understood plain and simple human education is the news media; they are one in the same. Sheesh, will we all understand that since the time of the press, and we can go back to the clay tablets, many things are between the time the news is made and the time the person reads the news.
Everyone can have the Eureka moment but the way that basic pedagogy is framed in education today in America breads sin. Only the few who can pay for it, the special, the selective, understand the real art of life, and human interest, that Gaussian loan that needs to be paid off spirals to raging corruption.
Today it is very mixed sophisticated and most of all very, very selective. I am trying to avoid the word discriminate, even though the academics they themselves use discriminants in most all mathematical reasoning from patching together a polynomial to focus in with Venn diagrams or a Gaussian mean which is the calculus of the central value theorem which now seems to be faith based or hate based.
They make a big deal about MOOC, yet for thirty five bucks a high school student bright enough could buy a thirty five dollar book from an English professor and have online audio couple with completely worked out problems that describe Maxwell’s equations. That is a real deal. The logic and reasoning gained by such math shows all the way to basic existence.
Even today sifting through the truth is exhilarating as the sense of honesty tunnels forward that is offered by an anonymous author as in this blog however many are defiled because of persecution by the corporatize media blogs. But these media persons are people like you and me but in a social structure that is way different distanced shielded, obnoxiously exploiting legal constitutional reasoning, loaded with legions of lawyers for the advantage of money and power. All of “they” are the same as the citizen, very unordinary, unbalanced, awkward; plain wrong for cultural progress. Some would say very unethical way to lean forward especially in time of a so called war.
From my view as simple person just wanting to make it through life finding our current media/ education system unusual divisive greedy possibly loaded with a human nature that is a bad stroke needing to be changed because persons are victimized rather than news being reported. America we have dirty water that needs to be cleaned, or not to make war with people who do not know how to read or write.
For a basic Republic/ Democratic culture to exist it has to have a population that is literate. America needs to send computers not guns to Syria. The culture of news media like this is modern cable, especially Fox news, or stupid Republicans like McCain to escalate wars, he is a cultural klutz. These are college graduates the fine products of America’s educational system. America when you listen to cable like MSNBC we are not leaning forward we are working ass backwards.
I haven't been able to find organic corn oil since corn was corraled by biofuel interests - how long ago was that, maybe a decade...more? Is that related to GMO developments -- the military-industrial coalition working to dominate/control...what? All of that, and more.
What happened to gleanings, compost...grasses, bamboo, hemp, renewable crops?
What about composting toilet systems? Too labor intensive?
So, what's wrong with generating good jobs that serve integrity/quality of life?
Or, is that not the highest priority in play?
... ...?
One thing WE ALL can do is encourage farming on a local and State level. Local community farms are more in tune with the people in their communities and are willing to meet the standards of healthy and sustainable farming practices, i.e. Non-GMO seeds, No spray fruits and veggies, and more affordable product.
Here in my town we have several Farmer Markets that have a large variety of locally grown fruits and veggies that are NonGMO and No Spray. And the cost...I cut my produce bill in half; I use to spend about $30-$35 a week on produce at the big chain grocer; now I get the same things I like for half the money and they are "certified 100% organic".
Though I do support you perspective - WASHNWMN - on the issue of GMO's, I have to say you are wrong in saying that you cannot purchase soy products that are Non-GMO here in the U.S. I buy Non-GMO Soy Curd, Soy beans, and soy sauce right at my local grocery store.
DANNEMARC wrote; "Great idea! But the 1% are prepairing for such actions."
What you say "is" true...But that SHOULD NOT in anyway discurage anyone from taking a stand and commiting acts of Civil Disobedience and Non Violent Action/Resistence for the sake of taking back a Democratic System that has been hijacked by Wall St. and the 1%. This countries government is one that was founded as being; Of, For, and By the People, and Stands to ensure Independence, and the Equal Right to; Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness...We the People must live up to our duty to alter and/or abolish a government that becomes destructive of the formentioned principles that are clearly stated in the Declaration of Independence, and protected by the U.S. Constitution (Law).
So to everyone that agrees our country has been hijacked by Wall St. and wants to overturn the Supreme Court ruleing on Corporate Personhood...Get out there and occupy something.
Now that being said; The hostle and violent manner in which Police are now instructed to respond to protesters, and demonstrations is very concerning. However, the U.S. paramilitary police force is really no different than the Brittish Police and Military that once enforced Bittish Policies in India...They beat and killed innocent Men, Women, and Children for their refusal to coopperate and follow Brittish Policy which oppressed and enpoverished the "99%" of India...But in the end it was the Brittish that had innocent blood on their hands and surrendered Independence back to India.
Since I have a few family members and friends in the military, as well as two friends who are police officers...I can say with some releef - from conversations - that the majority of those serving in the Military and/or on the Police Force WOULD NOT follow orders that at the least infringed on a persons right to protest, especially through the use of violent measures that would cause injury or fatality to an individual/group.
One thing for sure...There are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more 99%ers than there are 1%ers. So lets cut the bullshit...It is actually very simple to tackle Wall St...STOP BEING A CONSUMER! (At least to the best of your abilities). Corporations CANNOT survive without consumers. Corporations consider money to be a voice...Send your message loud and clear to any/all Corporations that are an Enemy of the State, and a threat to Humanity, act irresponsabley/destructively towards the enviroment.
Hit these assholes were it hurts...Their Pockets! Then they will be all ears and more willing to cater to the needs of the common American...Which covers a vast variety of greivences and solutions.
I did see the Monsanto marches on BBC, DW (German news) and RT news, so a few media sources, had it, outside our mainstream though. But the mainstream media sources are shooting themselves in the foot. I think a lot of folks probably don't even watch not only the news, but TV in general, at least the more intellegent folks. There's so much on TV now that's just nonsense. We're inundated with so much sensationalism: crime drama/cop shows, ghost stories that beg for another Houdini to debunk them all, aliens and UFO's; LockUp, where you can now go to prison and be a star, teen pregnancies under various titles, where you can now be a star for getting pregnant. Fear, superstition and extreme dumbing down nonsense.
Call me old fashioned, but I like a plot, a story. Bring back the mini series.
The Monsanto issue had me doing a bit of digging on the web. Buyer Beware: your average Burpees and Gurneys veg seeds are not all GMO-free. So growing your own means finding non-GMO seeds. There are some on the web. Try to find a Soy product in the US that's not GMO. You have to order GMO-free soy sauce from outside the states. Nearly every corn product is GMO, and in all sorts of foods. There are GMO-free markets around, but the average person may not be able to afford them. All in all, we're being messed with 6 ways from Sunday. History has shown, however, that oligarchies don't hold up when people are overly oppressed. Some examples: the French revolution, Russian revolution, and the American revolution. FDR was elected when enough people were sick of the depression. The fact that Obama won the election and a number of liberals were elected to Congress shows the tide is turning and a lot of people are more aware.
We need more Thom Hartmann, Amy Goodman, and Mike Papantonio type shows going more frequently. Keep up the good work!
In the past, Ken Ware has criticized me for being so negative about our country. In times like this that is an easy path to take. However, good news is as infectious as bad news. Today I received an email from President Obama himself reaching out to everyone on his mailing list for donations and volunteers to help out in Oklahoma and other areas recently ravaged by nature. He appealed to the horrible effect these disasters had on the victims. He directs us to this site:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/oklahoma
It deeply touched me and I must say that if given the same need for help and dire straits, there is no other place in the world I would rather be than the good old USA.
That being said--lets fix this country ASAP!! The problems here deserve more from us than apathy and neglect!
The problems in our media, trade policy, legislation and military are all problems that can be easily fixed by enacting comprehensive Campaign Finance Reform!
As Fwd. thinking Australians and Thom would say "Good On Ya"! See my post above...freinds don't let friends watch corporate media!! Hang in and keep spreading truth.
Too many people think it is imposible to wake up and make a difference in this. It is possible. It is possible to make our government lable this poison and make our food safe. It is possible for us to go into even Walmart and look on the label and know what is modified and what is not. It is possible for us to make a decission for ourselves and not have a corporation make it for us. It is possible for us to do all these things if we make it possible. I am so sick of food roulette and wondering if what I am feeding a three and a five year old is going to hurt them now or in the future. Can they eat the corn from the can that taste so good that makes them want to eat till they are full or should I stop them. I am sick of the worry. I do worry. It won't even make the paper and people around the world are able to walk into their market and know what they are eating. We here in the US can't find out if we wanted to. Because our government has sold us out to corporate America and let us eat cake.
I'm all for freedom of speech, however I cancelled my subscription to the local newspaper, Gannett Corp., due to commentary by crackpots like George Will. I simply refuse to financially subsidize anti-democracy sentiment. The same goes for network television. I see little difference between Fox and shows like Gregory's Meet the Press.
I've said it before, in fact I've beat it to death on this blog......in my opinion the corp. media is by far the most destructive tool being employed by those with money and power to shrink representative government down to the size where the billionaires can drown it in a bathtub. The Supreme Court has made it possible for these out of control money maniacs to buy off, prostitute, just about anybody making a living within this industry. It really is the frontline of our battle for LIBERTY.
I'm printing below the entire text of a communication with the NYT this weekend re Monsanto and no-news. This is the most progressive liberal-leaning paper in the country?
help@nytimes.com9:05 AM (6 hours ago) to me Thank you for taking the time to write The New York Times.
We value your readership and welcome any feedback that we can use to enhance our customer experience, products or service features.
Sincerely,
Brittany Blocker
Online Customer Service
www.nytimes.com/help
-----Original Message-----
From:
Sent: 5/27/2013 12:02:08 AM
To: emediacs
Subject: HELP Other Question
Email:
URL: Monsanto
Comments:Two million people protested around the globe this weekend against GMO contaminated foods. And not a word in the NYT except for a short paragraph embedded in the second page of an article about GMO labeling which came to readers' attention about 24 hours after the world stood up and said NO! to Monsanto. Does this company have the United States by the throat? Are you afraid of Monsanto? It certainly looks that way. And the afore-mentioned article makes it all seem so simple. We have GMO today and five years down the line...??? How long do you think it will take to clean up the Agent Orange mess Monsanto left in Vietnam? Forty years and running... And that is only a small portion of the havoc they have wrought on this planet. We need legal experts to explain the contracts that allow Monsanto to sue farmers for being downwind of their GMO concoctions and yet never allow the reverse, rights to people who are organic and want to stay that way. The list goes on and on and on. It seems you have a lot of work to do... you're doing a great disservice to your readership and to this country by avoiding it.
****************************
Monsanto is clearly a fascist organization; there is no room for both democracy and Monsanto in America. I respect the protest leader's resolve and beg her to keep us all informed re the next five or ten million needed to stand up and put this company out of business once and for all.
sandlewould ~ Certainly I agree! I couldn't agree more! Anon was a great innovation! But like all great ideas in this country, they quickly become compromised by those of greater means. Everything you said I agree with. We must be careful how we move on these matters. There is too much at stake to act uninformed and too much at stake to not act at all!
Good point. Sadly, the nature of anonymoty lends itself to anonomous corruption. What Anon. is, is not necessarilly what Anon. was.
Great idea! But the 1%'s are preparing for such actions. Here are some excepts from Friday's blog for anyone who missed it:
Quote:Wikipedia defines sockpuppet, as opposed to sock puppet, as follows:
Wikipedia wrote:A sockpuppet is an online identity used for purposes of deception. The term—a reference to the manipulation of a simple hand puppet made from a sock—originally referred to a false identity assumed by a member of an internet community who spoke to, or about, himself while pretending to be another person.[1] The term now includes other misleading uses of online identities, such as those created to praise, defend or support a third party or organization,[2] or to circumvent a suspension or ban from a website.
Wikipedia also goes on to mention government sockpuppetrey:
Wikipedia wrote:In 2011, a Californian company, Ntrepid, was awarded a $2.76 million contract under the auspices of US Central Command for "online persona management" operations[22] with the aim of creating "fake online personas to influence net conversations and spread US propaganda" in Arabic, Farsi, Urdu and Pashto.[22][23]
Interesting stuff, indeed! Perhaps a mutual cooperation may help to expose a list of such puppets on this blog to help save us the time and grief of responding to them? After all, we both have better things to do with our time than deal with this nonsense.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sockpuppet_(Internet)
Palindromedary wrote:DAnneMarc:
"Online Persona Management"...wow! what Big Brother doublespeak, eh? Thanks for that info about Ntrepid...I had not heard of them...or at least, I don't remember reading about them.
Palindromedary ~ In that case you might be interested in this three part youtube video series entitled:
Anonymous Is US Phantom Enemy Created by Ntrepid Corp. Pt.II - III
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWe0Z6H5LHQ
I only just watched the second in the series. Apparently "Anonymous" isn't who he isn't saying he is. Yeah, I know that sounds ridiculous; but, think about it a minute, what a better enemy for the government to have than one without a name or a face--just a mask. A wild card sockpuppet if you will. Someone the Government and military can point to and assign any person and any allegation to in order to justify murdering them. No due process, no proof that person did anything. Just, "you did it", bang, you're gone. Talk about getting away with murder
(UPDATE) Ok! Now I've seen all three videos on this subject. I highly recommend everyone check this out. It is either a very creative hoax, or one of the biggest problems this country has ever faced and will affect us all eventually.
Beware wolves that bare the clothing of sheep:
Links posted in video above:
Published on Apr 7, 2013
Anonymous Revealed: US spy operation that manipulates social media (How several government agents created & control "Anonymous") http://current.com/community/93699682...
Revealed: US spy operation that manipulates social mediahttp://current.com/1167p4c
U.S. Military Launches Spy Operation Using Fake Online Identitieshttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03...
Anonymizer: What is it? http://subliminalridge.blogspot.ca/20...
Tartan Metrics, the firm that targets protesters' affiliations: we target theirs http://darkernet.wordpress.com/author...
TrapWire/Abraxas/Ntrepid/Cubic/Tartan: the knowns, unknowns and two scenarios http://darkernet.wordpress.com/2012/0...
TrapWire https://trapwire.net/
Calculate Influence & Discover Hidden Networkshttp://www.ntrepidcorp.com/tartan.php
Safe Browser for Online Research & Investigationhttp://www.ntrepidcorp.com/ion.php#
Ntrepid Corporation Issued Language Translation Technology Patent http://www.prweb.com/releases/Virtus/...
Intrepid Security http://www.intrepidsecurity.com/partn...
INTREPID GLOBAL http://intrepidgss.com/about-partners/
The Bible: The Book of Revelations wrote:Revelation 2:9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
Revelation 3:9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.
According to the video series, Ntrepid, and all the sub corporate entities that make them up are controlling our Government and Media from Israel.
By the way, this is nothing new--it is high tech COINTELPRO on steroids!