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.
One more thing, bliss. The beliefs and values we articulate and embrace, our words, DO make a difference. Maybe we don't live up to them--actually we rarely do--but that we hold them up (even somewhat cynically) is important. They show us and others what's important to us and (should be) important to our country.
I can't remember any principles or values articulated by tweedle dum.
As a historian, the terms like the bigges, most, most brazen, first, worst, last, or maybe "most unique" (I'm a writer and editor too, always raise a red flag). This is subjective and not something that you cannot in any way accurately categorize.
Somehow the part I wrote about how I do understand how the Obama administration has failed us, has sold us out, has not lived up to its promises,, etc . etc., got left out. I'm as clear-sighted, intelligent and well informed as you. I still stand by what did get through in my comment..
Oh, and having just heard the president speech reminds of one thing: no matter how things stand, none of us can afford to give up hope and to quit working for the things that our country should embody. Continuing to hope and to work for change and refusing to give up is not pollyannaish. It is just common (or perhaps uncommon) sense. Or perhaps courage.
I think they are, but then I biased and I pay attention, but there are so many who dont. I know because I used to be on of them until I got woken up last year. Only took me all my life to "get it". But, better late then never as the saying goes.
I have a former co-worker that I e-mail with who is a conservative and I've posed the question to him "why do you favor Romney and the Republicans over Obama and the Democratic party". I told him, and rightly so, that I've asked this question of many conservatives and the only response I ever get from any of them is that they don't like Obama, yada, yada, yada, never why the Republicans or Romney is better only Obama bashing, which is the only thing the Republicans spout off, so guess that's why. They actually don't know why the they the way they do, they just think they know that Obama is wrong because that's what the Republicans tell them. He asked me to give him a few days, and I've yet to hear back. When he sends me anything it's a right wing rhetoric, so I'll just have to give up trying to get any substantive answer from a conservative.
Well I don't want God in the platform etc. but the dems have had a litttle guts this time and I'll give them a yes for that.
bliss: I've read your kind of screeds before. I understand the specifics of this administration's failings, compromises, and even sellling-outness. If you think the only discernible difference between Obama and Romney is their approach to protecting women's health, you are dead wrong.
Some people are going to say that. A friend of mine says that. But if he doesn't vote, or you don't vote, or you don't care which one and you flip a coin, you are helping point us toward disaster. I consider this sort of a "holding place." We can't let anything slip farther back. An Obama win is going to move things in the direction that most of us Democrats who occupy the Democratic wing of the part want.
You want to give up the chance to overturn Citizens United? Or allow women to be abused and paid less and all the other ills? You want no end to these endless warss (I know, I know,) but consider the warriors on the other side who are itching to beef up the obscenely huge Defense budget and keep a war or two going so the Cheneys and BP can make several hundred million more?
Use your common sense.
There is no chances, the whole elected members are corrupted. There are no solution.
maid service houston
Barack Obama's betrayals on health care reform, Employee Free Choice and restoration of our constitutional rights are of such a dismaying magnitude I doubt there is any warning sufficient to overcome the sense of utter futility with which so many of us view this election.
For those whose jobs have been outsourced to slaves and/or the bottom-wage corporate serfs of the Third World, for those of us whose careers have been downsized into permanent unemployment, for those of us who are elderly and/or disabled, our lives will continue to worsen no matter who occupies the White House: Romney or Obama, each is equally committed to the paradigm of capitalist governance: absolute power and unlimited profit for the Ruling Class, total subjugation for all the rest of us.
Indeed the only discernible difference between the Republicans and the Democrats is in their stance toward women -- and it is arguable even that is nothing more than a difference in tactics. The Republifascists are determined to impose JesuNazi theocracy as quickly as possible, hence their demands for zero-tolerance disempowerment of women. Meanwhile the Demofascists are more sneaky about it, trusting in the gradual abolition of reproductive freedom imposed by faith-based initiatives and the loss of health insurance inflicted by permanent unemployment to accomplish capitalism's requisite suppression of women's rights.
In either case, history shows us that once a nation's women are truly subjugated -- or in the case of the United States, re-subjugated -- real freedom is lost forever. Which is, of course, the goal of capitalists and capitalism everywhere.
Add the apocalyptic factors -- dwindling environmental resources, terminal climate change, global overpopulation -- and the only asset left to fuel capitalist growth is human capital: in other words, slavery. And for the corporate slave pens to function as their masters intend, women must be reduced to brood mares, with the Christian doctrine of divine right (once again) providing the ideological framework for the entire restructuring of society.
That's what's happening. A few of us know it; many many more sense it, and that is why even in states like Washington, where we all vote by mail, far too many citizens are so stunned and hopelessly depressed by our utter helplessness, they will not trouble themselves to commit even a single postage stamp to endorsement of either party.
Which of course means the JesuNazi zealots will win -- that 2012 will be another 2010: a second Republifascist tsunami, this one sweeping away any remaining pretense of the already-dead American experiment in constitutional democracy.
The story being missed by the better-off: Millions of post-middle class/poor came out to bote for Barack Obama in 2008, belivieng that if anyone could pull the US back from the edge of the cliff, it is Barack Obama. Tragically, the DNC -- and especially the star role of Bill "Kill the New Deal and Give Us NAFTA" Clinton -- made it abundantly clear that their votes are noit wanted in 2012. Well, OK. Good luck to whatever is left of the middle class, I guess.
"Will his [Clinton's] warning be heeded?" Only by patriots.
Three things I would like to see and hear at the Democratic convention. One, is a banner stating "We ARE America" countering the republican's "we believe in America." I'd like to hear it said that we value 'success' but that we don't measure success by money. and, it should be hammered home that no less critical than the reelection of Obama is the retaking of Congress!
Vote for Jill Stein for President of the Green Party. http://www.jillstein.org/ If you want real change.
Not only was the 26th Amendment ratified in only 70 days, but North Carolina, where the Democratic Convention is being held, tied with Oklahoma for making the decisive ratification. They both approved it on Jul 1st, 1971.
And the very first thing we need to chop is the Pentagon...unnecessary and illegal foreign wars....and Black Budgets. Let's turn the Pentagon into a shelter for the homeless...or a pig sty...whatever! Then the second thing we need to do is to tax the heck out of the wealthy who have created this whole mess to begin with in getting huge tax breaks, corporate welfare, and emasculating or abolishing those laws that keep rapacious capitalist pigs in check. Tax those suckers like during the Eisenhower years. Make them pay back all they took and leave Social Security and Medicare alone. And then there needs to be a massive debt forgiveness program to wipe out all of those huge debt numbers...the trillions in derivatives.
We spent our working lives paying into the system with not only our taxes but into FICA and other programs. We would have been very well off had it not been for massive idiotic military spending and massive tax breaks for the uber rich. Now we need to reverse that. Republicans are mostly culpable for driving us into a hole...and they all did it on purpose..they had an agenda to destroy all social programs including Social Security and Medicare. Many Democrats are only culpable for not having the balls to stand up to the Republicans and their Military Industrial Corporate Wall Street Bankster Oil complex. And some American people are culpable for voting against their best financial interest by voting Republican or for not holding the Democrat's feet to the fire to fight for them.
Just do a Google to list spy agencies in government. The list is honest and correlates with a little talked about book by Alasdair Roberts originally a Canadian but is now a teacher in New York State. The Book called “Blacked Out” government secrecy in the information age. Published during the middle period of the Bush Administration.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alasdair_Roberts_(academic)
His book supports the cultural trend expressed by just about everyone here. My view included that America is in a “Severe Conservative” information “non exchange”.
The one percenters have a whole lot of influence to steer American culture through Hollywood, commercials, and twenty four hour news cycle all besides snoopy snooping about the individuals total identity. Little talked about are the State government agencies that sell data base information about you and me. Or those data bases that the Arabs secured form the Bush era which is treason. This lack of transparency must be included in the Democratic political platform. For some reason it’s avoided and this election is begging for the incredible advantage to bring it out and challenge the miss fit of Mitt in the tax secrets he has. All likely to blast our system to find the God particle in our taxes. LOL.
My introduction to the computer spy era happened during in the early seventies. After Vietnam my career started as a Customer Engineer for the Sperry Univac Corporation. It was a wonderful job contracted with the city of Chicago in what was called Computer Assisted Instruction. A Univac 1110 mainframe in those days used to implement minority training in math and English skills. Those skills obviously tracked to improve skills and highlight talent. My point is the intellectuals do examine individuals from the beginning of time. But imagine knowing the quality of skills from what was called Cabrini Green, or in Chicago the famous Robert Taylor homes. A huge advantage.
Also consider the early era I call the RS232 connector time. For those oldies who recollect this era know very well that the one percent secret trust fund babies even then developed master degree, or doctorate degree skills manipulating available data base structures. All done in the most prominent schools, MIT Harvard, Yale, Carnegie Mellon university etc., Building cool iterations to bring about the most probable results then join the political arena to cash in. Those are the Defense, Judicial, Congressional, Senate, Security and Exchange, Federal Reserve, etc., secret trust fund babies that all of a sudden realize we know they are there as they watch us.
That has to be an incredibly sour feeling by the rich privileged that drive around playing guitars in commercials advertising for your free credit score dot com. Or from Hollywood characters that make reverse mortgage commercials that are totally corrupt display tiny teeny words of disclaimer that are impossible to read. All in your face electromagnetic corruption. Ala carte the free market, here America has the agencies that do nothing for everyones personal improvement.
Remember that simple phrase on your yearly salary review, the personal improvement sections. Here in that training and improvement was actually used as a disaplinary action for years in the corporate environment. Well, the corporate biggies are freaking out because they are now accountable, a totally new dimension for them and many will never accept the responsibility. Imagine a lot are what is considered the best of the best college graduates run this corruption called our government.
I took this personal ;-D in voting No I am saying that they haven't convinced me. I do believe that they are making a good enough case to get Obama re-elected on their own AND that the GOP set that bar pretty low. It totally amazes me that after four years of trying to smear Obama as a socialist (which he ain't) now the GOP is claiming they are the real socialists who will save Medicare -- surely an *exploding head* level of incredulity must be spreading across the country if anyone has been paying attention.
Tom,
OK, they have fast internet and a lot of the people have access..How big is S. Korea? How big is the USA? How many citizens in S. Korea? How many in USA? Its an issue of scale.....should we borrow more from Social Security and the rest of the world? We need to reduce our debt. Stop the spending and protect the future generations from our bad choices. I am a baby boomer....I take responsibility for my generation - Left and Right - We were/are greedy, my parents, (yours too perhaps), left me a better country and we chose to screw it up. We voted in extreme politicians left and right and now it is up to our children and their children to fix our mess....It is going to take many generations to get America back to her glory days...we are not going to this without politicians that are willing to STOP pandering to the base and make tough decisions. I agree, move to amend, but we are so far down the road of chaos, that I fear my grandchildren will be screwed. Who cares about ISP speed.....back to basics. You have it right, tag I'm it, but when I see what political choices I have, it makes me sick.
Obama & DNC/Romney & GOP = "Opposames" We need a third centrist party. FIscal Conservative/Social Moderates
I pray I dont live to see the mess I fear is coming. I do what I can....but it is depressing to read all the retoric on the extremes....balance please!
On another trip to S.Korea..I was told that a whole shopping Mall collapsed killing some wives of some very important people..along with a lot of other shoppers...one, a top executive of Hyundai. It was later learned that the newly built Mall was built by contractors that were cutting corners in order to make more profit. The building codes were not very much enforced.
Another time, I was waiting in traffic and I saw this guy on a motor bike zoom past on the narrow edge of the road. Just a few cars in front of us was an intersection and I saw the motor bike guy fly up into the air twirling like a rag doll and then came down to the pavement on his head. That was one dead dude!
I had learned from Korean co-workers that they had just gotten back from holiday at some famous vacation spot quite a few miles to the south and his family spent the entire day stuck in bumper to bumper traffic all the way.
Right here? You mean Canada...that's where you are from isn't it...Alberta? Canada is quite beautiful and wouldn't mind living there myself. At least I could take advantage of the universal health care system you have in Alberta.
I have been to South Korea a number of times and I can understand why S.Koreans might want to move to Canada...or even the US...we don't have the traffic congestion or pollution that they have in South Korea....because we have laws to regulate industry....yay, Democrats! Canada is so wide open and sparsely populated that there is lots of elbow room and room to breathe. The US is getting worse...but only because the Republican government lets the private sector get away with massive pollution.
Also, the S. Koreans live under the constant threat of an attack from N. Korea. It was really freaky when I was about to leave the Hyundai compound, riding in the car...just before getting to the gate....all hell broke loose....sirens wailing...we had to pull over and stop...then some guy starts yelling instructions, in Korean of course (which I couldn't understand), over a loud speaker (they were all over the compound), and I thought we were being attacked. I learned later that it was just a nationwide drill in case they were ever attacked by the north. Very nerve rattling to experience that...and they have monthly drills.
Another thing I experienced over there was a massive demonstration by students against the hard right wing government. I got caught in the middle of it in Seoul one day as I was trying to find Itaewon Street (the often sought out refuge for Americans who want to do shopping but can't speak Korean...that one shopping area...everyone speaks English).
I did, however, get to see the Pope fly by in his PopeMobile on one trip...whoopie, huh?
Very inspirational! Right on!
I'd be ecstatic with 9Mbps down! I pay something like $39 for an up to 6Mbps down and I only get only about 5.13Mbps down at quiet times (after about 1:00am) and until about 4:00pm and then it starts to bottleneck as everyone is getting home from work or school. 72Mbps down? Guaranteed? Most guarantees take advantage of the fact that most people won't bother to hold them to the guarantees if they are getting any where near what was promised. Marketing! Can't live with them...and you don't want to. Pests! I wonder how much it would cost for a 72Mbps?
Republicans tend to be overextending their own absurdity, there isn't a a sense of shame using the republican gathering operatives. When the they succeed having voter reductions, they'll break down the fundamental values and key to our democracy of this country.
In Clinton's speech last night, he gave a great statistic on job creation. He said that in the 52 years since 1961, the private economy has produced 66 million private sector jobs. Republicans held the White House 28 of those 52 years and the Democrats 24 of those 52 years. So what’s the job score? Republicans: 24 million jobs. Democrats: 42 million jobs.
But it's not just on job creation that Democratic administrations fare better than Republican ones. A recent Bloomberg study of the last 50 years shows that by almost all economic measures, Democratic economic policies produce better outcomes than Republican economic policies. And not just better, but significantly better. See this article: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0512/76338.html
Thom, I think these are powerful statistics which you should use to help spread the word -- demand-side Democratic economic policies work much better than Republican trickle down supply side policies!
It's not about where you would want to live. Why do people so often jump to that whenever there's discussion of something being better elsewhere in the world? We're soooooo sensitive and thin skinned as Americans. Sooooooo sure everyone on Earth wants to live here. And we can't like anything about Europe or Japan, or Australia, or South Korea or anywhere without hearing "Why don't you move there!"
You obviously haven't been to South Korea lately.
How exactly did Bill Clinton get a balanced budget passed through Congress if no Republicans voted for it??? SIMPLE When the Democrats were in control of Congress during the first two years of Clinton's administration, they raised taxes (the same taxes that Bush 2 later cut and gave us back the deficit along with the wars and new Republican Great Depression). It took Clinton a lot of arm twisting to raise those taxes but Dems voted for it and because they voted for it they set the future of balanced budgets provided Clinton could keep Republicans from screwing it up again which he did. Many dems lost their seats because of the vote to raise taxes and we got a Republican Majority in congress for the first time in 40 years headed by Newt Tiffany's Gingrich. The Clintonian economy was for all practical purposes set in motion by the democratic majority in the first two years of Clinton's administration. So to the BushWellian destruction of our economy was set in motion by years of god awful anti-regulatory policies and unpaid for tax cuts by Bush 2. You can look at the historical stats. The middle class, the poor, and the overall American economy always do better under democrats than republicans for one simple reason. Democrats care about growing opportunity for everyone. Republicans only care about themselves and their friends and as a consequence they are evil. The republican attitude really is "I got mine. You're on your own. F.U." That is why they are evil. Mitt Romney made his money destroying American jobs, sending them overseas for what are essentially slave wages. I say go back and tax the Rich at Republican Eisenhower levels of 91% because they should be forced to reinvest in America in order to keep all that money. Economic Patriotism should be mandatory.