But, Allan West clarified his statement by saying he meant those he accused of being members of the communist party were actually members of the progressive caucus. Fair enough, sarcasm aside. I think it's obvious that the members of the progressive caucus are not openly members of the communist party. But, perhaps they should come clean. The thing I find most common here, on Huffington Post, Daily Koz, etc., etc., and among my democrat friends is that they go to great lengths to parse the question: Are you in favor of Socialism or Communism as the official form of government in the United States? They him and haw, but never seem to want to just answer the question directly, as if they're ashamed of their real political views, but need to hide them for some reason. Yet they freely and unwittingly espouse Marxist or Fabian Socialist ideology in thought and expression. Where has honesty gone in our daily political conversation? Thom, I haven't been a subscriber for much more than a few days, but: Are you a Communist? And can you answer the question without parsing your answer? Just curious. You obviously hold a lot of disdain, even hatred, for the average republican and the republican party. You and others here speak about preserving democracy, but where did you ever find the word decmocracy in the Declaration or the Constitution? I'm not talking about the democratic voting policies we enjoy, but really, the U.S. Constitution speaks only about one specific form of government GUARANTEED to the States in the U.S. Constitution; that being "a Republican form of government". I understand that there are some democratic ideals espoused by the founders in the Federalist Papers, but why would you or anyone else want to preserve "our democracy" when the government constituted by the founders is a Republic, not a Democracy? I was attracted to your site by reading your assessment of the Citizens United decision, which was an eye opener. But I'm pretty disappointed with the standard liberal/progressive rhetoric so far: Your rant on the republican party was hateful and spiteful, yet the democrat party is guilty of the very same things, only with a socialist twist. Admittedly, I haven't read your works, but I've yet to hear you breath a word about the U.S. being a Republic. What gives? Maybe George Orwell was really on to something.... Maybe the "progressive" caucus and the progressives and socialists in general should just come out and say something like "We want to disolve the U.S. Constitution and we want to constitute a more totalitarian United States of America." Maybe then we could all have an honest debate. Can you point me to one of your books that most clearly explains your political view?

Foriegn Influence: The Baneful Foe

The Father of our Nation said it best in his Farewell Address to Congress (a document that until the GOP house of the 1980's was read at the beginning of each Legislative session). Every GOP Neo-Con-supporting, American Globalist should re-read the Address. In the light of George Washington's sentiments, the current GOP and Globalist agendas should be seen as TRAITOROUS!

Here's Washington's own words: "...Against the insidious wiles of foreign influence, I conjure you to believe me, fellow-citizens, the jealousy of a free people ought to be constantly awake; since history and experience prove that foreign influence is one of the most baneful foes of republican Government.—But that jealousy, to be useful, must be impartial; else it becomes the instrument of the very influence to be avoided, instead of a defense against it.—Excessive partiality for one foreign nation, and excessive dislike of another, cause those whom they actuate to see danger only on one side, and serve to veil and even second the arts of influence on the other. Real Patriots, who may resist the intrigues of the favorite, are liable to become suspected and odious; while its tools and dupes usurp the applause and confidence of the people, to surrender their interests."

I personally think that George would have wanted to beat the living tar out of Karl 'I'm-actually-a-Nazi' Rove and Pribus Fascismus, the current GOP head. The truth is, Milton Friedmanites have gained control of the U.S.A.'s tiller and have hijacked our ship. Unfortunately for mankind and our beloved Republic, they've set the Nation's course into the heart of an economic maelstrom of greed, power-lust, and servitude. How unpatriotic. Traitors!

Here in CA foreign multi-nationals tried to buy up our water rights. They failed with local comunity action. They tried to build a big power station over the border in Mexico with cheap labor rather then deal with our unions. Then sell it back at high profits. They failed at that too. Democracy can work.

The N.Y.Port Authority rebuilt the trade center using steel from Germany and glass from China. Why is it that our manufacturing base were unable to provide these materials? Unions in PA were able to takeover a distressed steel company and make it profitable. Why not enable more unions to do the same?

We have a highly educated and very intelligent middle class. We don't need the skull and bones ivy leaguers anymore. If they don't provide the goods and services we need then we will. The problem is access to venture capital. We can change this barrier with democracy.

Take for example one major university whose business curriculum is modeled course for course, book for book after the Harvard school of business. Harvard has a graduation hirng rate of over 90%. The other school has a rate of 15%. We must change the inequalities of higher learning and make it accesible to all Americans. We must build back our manufacturing base, re-organize higher education and nationalize our water resources. This is what I would say to our president.

Yikes, posted twice....

Don't you see Progressive Congresspeople are trapped between right-wing representatives, right-wing Supreme Court and ignorant voters? Sorry, you have to wait until November and hope for the best. Nobody can do anything about this but the voter....

Until then we have to make deals. I mean, we're not in a civil war, this is politics and you have to deal out what is possible. Politics is not what you'd like to do -- politics is using the options you have. Right now the options are pretty lousy. Now, help Mitt Romney to badmouth the Democrats, you awkwardly impatient progressive....

I have one question for my (mostly Democratic) Senators and Representatives: What have YOU done to reverse the "Citizens United" unlimited anonymous corruption of our government and our very way of life? What specifically have YOU done during the last years? It alone is my #1 issue, because it affects ALL other issues.

Back when it happened, I warned that we People can not compete financially with deep (tax exempt) corporate (and extreme-rich) money. So what has been done? Republican and Democratic political professionals, working both sides of the same street.

Until that changes, we can forget about every other issue being lobbied in DC.

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The answer to your question Mr. Hartmann is that absolutely nothing can deter or even modify President Obama's support for so-called "free trade" and its subjugation of the U.S. 99 Percent.

"Free trade" -- like national security -- is one of those realms where U.S. political reality is obvious. In bitter truth we are tyrannized by one single-minded party that deceives us by displaying two faces. Thus Obama the Orator becomes Barack the Betrayer. Meanwhile the Citizens United decision combines with the imposition of Gestapo tyranny to eliminate any foreseeable possibility we can regain even the limited powers the One Percent formerly allowed us.

Such is capitalism -- infinite greed elevated to maximum virtue -- and such is capitalist governance: absolute power and unlimited profit for the Ruling Class, total subjugation and genocidal poverty for all the rest of us.

Fortunately though history is filled with surprises; the Russian Revolution, for example, occurred with unexpected suddenness. Nevertheless given my age -- 72 -- I doubt in my lifetime I'll see anything but the steady worsening of our 99 Percent lot. Perpetual joblessness afflicts us already. Now the One Percent is destroing the remainder of the social safety net (including Social Security and Medicare), the better to eliminate no-longer-profitable "human capital." Eventually -- sooner than we anticipate -- there'll be mass arrests and the deliberately fatal imprisonment of activists as slave labor in for-profit concentration camps.

Such is "change we can believe in."

What then is the point of activism? As Albert Camus and John Paul Sartre discovered via the French Resistance, under circumstances such as these, it is our only remaining experience of freedom.

It would be a real shame if the money were able to influence the low-information-voters and Walker survived the vote. Having lived in the 50's, 60's, 70's, I was able to attend school and college, support a family, and live pretty well. Most of the population does not have that experience as a frame of reference from which to judge the suitability of a government for the people, verse a government that protects the rich 1-2% (I got mine, the heck with you). Part of the issue is of course, the enormous sums of money the 1-2% and corporations are able to put forth, again to sway those less capable of reasoned thinking. I think Wisconsin may eject Walker and his types in spite of the money, but what we need is a mass ejection in November. ime to take our country and what it used to stand for back!

Tomm, best to both you and your wife Louise and her struggle with the C. Was good to hear her back at work today.

Well, to me he didn't seem to be one of those maliciously bold righties, so I held my horses. Maybe Andrew called in today.... right, Andrew??

However, there was a caller on Thom's show who uttered exactly the same fears. Let me try to explain it this way, Andrew: In our American society we also have very few people who consider themselves monarchists. Monarchists were a problem during the 1700s and 1800s, but today they are such small minority, they're nothing but a joke. Just a few crazies.

Same goes for communists : during the 1930s a huge threat -- today communism is absolutely disproved. Only a small minority believes in that, otherwise we'd see that in Congress. Did you hear any communistic speeches in Senate or House recently? No, in America communism is dead since the 40s.

Libertarianism is just as crazy as communism, but as we all know, crazy Ron Paul has lots of crazy fans. You heard them everywhere over the last months. The communistic insanity is the idea that it would be possible to plan the entire economy, including private consume. The libertarian insanity is the idea that you can let go an economy without government regulation, as if there wasn't any crime going on -- just lawless anarchy. Libertarianism is very much alive, therefore dangerous. Communism is just as crazy, but actually dead.

Another example: There are also a few lesbians, who advocate female dictatorship, by suppressing men. But this isn't a realistic threat to you guys Andrew, because it's a very small minority. Most lesbians are tolerant liberals.

I am a pro-worker green girl who hasn't owned a car since 1997. Our community is suffering from lack of work so this terminal looks appealing to many workers. We have to frame this debate in a way that is fair to unemployed workers, and I don't know how to do that.

Hi Thom, love the show!!

I was just wondering if there are any new studies about global warming are available. I was very disappointed when Obama didn't go to the climate change summit in Durban. It was yet another example of a politician dropping the ball while the corporate media looks the other way. I still can't believe how many Americans, my own friends and neighbors, many of whom consider themselves environmentalists, had never even heard of the Durban conference. Thanks for covering the news that falls through the cracks!!