Recent comments

  • Will Goldman Sachs ever release their "toxic and destructive" strangle hold on the US Economy?   13 years 17 weeks ago

    If we stand up long enough and make our voices heard, we might just get things changed and strangle the banksters. I refuse to give up hope.

  • Daily Topics - Wednesday March 14th, 2012   13 years 17 weeks ago

    Have you considered that you are being 'bombed' by callers who don't understand the concept of civil discourse?

  • Goldman Sachs thinks you’re a “Muppet”   13 years 17 weeks ago

    I think our society grasps these concepts in a manner similar to a series of pendula (pendulums). People who are well versed in the subject matter and politically and socially active form opinions and take action fairly quickly. If an issue in our society gets out of a reasonable range to the left or right of the equillibrium or sustainable position, they see it, object to it, and propose reasonable alternatives to right the course. But in our society, it takes a large number of people becoming well versed and taking action to effect change when the inertia is behind the monied interests who have co-opted our political system. The lower information voters are increasing as a percentage of the population, and they have much much larger periods to their pendulums. Things have to get very bad before they see that they have been led down the wrong path. Think the middle ages, the guilded age, the robber barrons, and think of the era before Teddy Roosevelt came along as the great trust buster!

    If corporations are people, they are trying very hard to be kings. We can expect to become serfs, oafs and fifes if we don't wake up pretty soon.

  • Daily Topics - Wednesday March 14th, 2012   13 years 17 weeks ago

    What have Republicans brought us?

    I can name a few:

    Gloom

    Despair

    Agony

    Deep Dark Depression

    Excessive Misery

    Just to name a few. =)

  • Afghanistan should serve as a warning to those who call for war with Iran   13 years 17 weeks ago

    Progressives have to stop supporting this broken/criminal political system by voting within it. It's hard to do, but to continue to play their game you do nothing to change it. Nothing. And continual harping about the right isn't helping either. OUR problems are on the Democrat side, start holding YOUR side responsible as participants or they will never stop moving to the right.

    Thom, if George Bush had done what Obama is doing with his targeted/lawless killing of his own people, what would you have said? Truthfully? You'd think that was just fine? That the POTUS murdered OBL with no due process brought crowing from you Thom. NO DUE PROCESS MURDER and you thumped your chest in agreement. You lost me as a regular leader on that one. At least Eisenhower knew to follow the rule of law. Obama threw it all out the window and nary a whisper from Thom, but a cheer.

  • Will fire services soon be luxuries available to just the top 1%?   13 years 17 weeks ago

    What a stupid policy! Funds of fire department should be shouldered by the government and those funds came from the taxes (poor or rich). What if the fire spread out? It will cost more damage which is more expensive than that $75 fire protection fee. They should re-evaluate their policy.

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  • Afghanistan should serve as a warning to those who call for war with Iran   13 years 17 weeks ago

    Well you can just blame it on Al Gore --- again.When a party ignores it's base, they will, once again throw another election because it does not matter which party controls anything, the agenda grinds forward, blame Gore, Blame progressives who don't agree with Obama's corporate party and call them crazy or insane and selfish?

  • Goldman Sachs thinks you’re a “Muppet”   13 years 17 weeks ago

    Thom, are you going to discuss this issue without asking why Obama hired them? I think that would be only fair. He HIRED Wall Street Thom, but you will give him a pass? For hiring GE head to advise him on jobs? Seriously? You'll go back to Gramm, I see. Okay, the Democrat leadership gets a complete pass.

  • Goldman Sachs thinks you’re a “Muppet”   13 years 17 weeks ago

    Arlo Guthrie was once quoted as saying "Greed and Globalization arent just Americas fault." I would add the GS philosophy to add to that "But we're trying". Until the makup of politics is changed so that the banksters cannot buy their way out of regulation, we will continue to be "muppets"

  • Are Wall Street Speculators Inflating The Cost of Food?   13 years 17 weeks ago

    This proposal will probably be dismissed as 'socialist.' However, For the sake of national security foodstuffs and oil must be removed from commodities exchange trading. They must not be open to commodities speculation.

    ~;^}>

    If you want the way it used to be- tax a millionaire, support a union and buy American.

  • Only 14% of US workers feel “very confident” they'll have enough money for retirement. Will You have enough savings to retire?   13 years 17 weeks ago

    Personally I like working. That being said...I don't like working for free and I especially don't like working without a future plan. Yes I would like to be able to retire (at least semi retire). I'm 40 years old and have been working since I was 16. I've worked and payed income taxes for 25 yrs. By the time I reach retirement age I will have worked for 40 yrs and unless I have made investments of my own (into an economy that just robbed people of 20+% of their IRAs) I won't have a future. But what really grinds me is not so much having to work, it's working for wages that are not liveable; eventhough most companies report that their productions are up and profits are steadily increasing. I'm not asking for a jet, Cuban cigars or a big 'ol yacht; just a commpensation that keeps up with the ever increasing cost of living/survivel.
    As Henry Ford once said; "I think a fare wage is one that affords the product we make".

  • Only 14% of US workers feel “very confident” they'll have enough money for retirement. Will You have enough savings to retire?   13 years 17 weeks ago

    I only voted yes because I'm already retired. I have a small pension and fortunately a decent amount of SS income plus savings that pay for the extras. If not for SS I'd have to work till I dropped or be taken in and supported by my children. If I were 15,20 or more years younger, I would certainly wonder if I'd ever be able to retire. Since SS benefits are based on your highest earning years, I've found that my current state of residence, AR, has many people who've worked all their life in this "right to work for less" state, are collecting a lot less then I am. I never made what I'd term big money, but I had a comfortable life for the most part and was able to raise my daughters, mostly by myself, thanks in large part to a good union job and superior benefits. I truly feel for young people trying to raise a family these days.

  • Are Wall Street Speculators Inflating The Cost of Food?   13 years 17 weeks ago

    Not really a problem. If we would only trust the republicans by putting them in office next year we will be able to put out large barrels of water, pray over them, then find them changed into gasoline. (Recommended donation $2.00/gal)

    Same with food: empty basket + prayer^3 = food for all

  • Only 14% of US workers feel “very confident” they'll have enough money for retirement. Will You have enough savings to retire?   13 years 17 weeks ago

    Helping older children is taking what little I save! College costs and other expenses keep going higher too!

  • Daily Topics - Tuesday March 13th, 2012   13 years 17 weeks ago

    Hey Thom, regular and devoted listener, So I know you don't mind what I am about to do. I was in a "discussion" on facebook with a Republucan over politics and was shocked when he presnted me with what appears to be an actually fact to support his view. Apparently Minnesota has had a number of convictions regarding voter fraud stemming from what pretty much was a "sting operation" from the 2008 election, Sadly, they targeted flelons, who are barred from voting in Minnesota, in order to get the convictions, These people face enough obstacles to trying to coexist in society already. without being used as easy pickings to obtain convictions to prove a point But I digress..

    Anyhow at the time of this report over 100 have been convicted and they expect convictions in about another 200 cases.

    http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/minnesota-leads-the-nation-in-voter-fraud-convictions-131782928.html

  • Everything U Know is Wrong - If Mormons aren't Christians...what are they?   13 years 17 weeks ago

    She is right for that time period. The service has been changed. It's been
    at least 25 years (or more) since the "blood oath" part of the 4 covenants
    took place. I still wonder why you don't interview someone actually from
    the Church itself, rather than people who are clearly "anti-Mormon" (just google their names!) and
    anti-every other religion but their own. While it's true that we believe
    we are the only true church (and which "true believer" doesn't believe that!), our leaders
    have repeatedly and frequently preached and displayed tolerance and respect for other
    religions to the point of donating to the building, repair and
    reconstruction (after disasters) of other denomination's churches. Brigham
    Young donated land for the first Jewish cemetary in SLC as well as $1000
    towards the first Catholic cathedral. The Church works closely with other
    denominations in their charity work as well.

    I do really enjoy listening to your radio show whilst driving! I think that, of the many 'left' talk show hosts, you are generally the calmest and most respectful of all your visitors and callers.

  • 60% of Americans believe the Afghanistan War is not worth fighting. Is this a lesson that we should not attack Iran?   13 years 17 weeks ago

    I'm afraid the available knowledge on any of the issues, we as common citizens are focusing on, goes into levels deeper than we may ever be allowed to know about. I'm not a huge fan of the movie director/producer Oliver Stone, but the notions behind some of his movies do open up other perspectives worth considering. The tough part, these days, with all the technology around to stimulate and entertain us, we eventually just wind up "lemmingly" watching and listening, while failing to apply sufficient thought into the acquisition of that "new knowledge", as to its original source, the meduim presenting it, and the current and relavent circumstances.

    Did anyone catch comments, in the last couple years, regarding theories that Osama Bin Laden as having been "commissioned" by our then-government to assemble a team to carry out attacks against our then-socalled "enemies" in the Persian Gulf area, and that no one ever considered that Osama, or his henchmen would turn on us, instead? Or that coorporations and those working through Grover Norquist, one of which Dick Cheney was affiliated (talk about a conflict of interest!), who have been heavily influencing two brances of our government (the Legislative & Judicial), could have (perish the thought) wanted to create ANY reason for going to war, to justify requesting more ($revenue$) from "the people" (never mind how many are killed in the process), so companies including Dick's Halliburton, in essence would "profit from war"; reminescent of one of the warnings we received from President Dwight D. Eisenhower (a Republican, no less!), over half-century ago?

    This "system" of government our country currently possesses, desperately needs more whistleblowers! WikiLeaks should be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, and Army Private Manning should be awarded the Medal of Honor!

  • Are Wall Street Speculators Inflating The Cost of Food?   13 years 17 weeks ago

    Revealed: US spy operation that manipulates social media

    Military's 'sock puppet' software creates fake online identities to spread pro-American propaganda

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/mar/17/us-spy-operation-social...

    And, of course, if you use any of the social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, etc. everything you put out there on-line is collected in huge data bases owned by the CIA and other 3 letter agencies. Yes, even this blog...or any blog...gathers information about you. But, of course most people on blogs tend not to be so forthcoming in their true identities or any other detailed particulars about themselves as compared to what they do on the social network sites. It is no secret that the CIA has even funded Facebook...and I understand that even Mark Z. has even been given an award by the CIA for his efforts on behalf of the CIA in collecting data about all their users. Of course, it would probably not be that much trouble for some to gain a lot more information about you by just what you have typed in blogs. And they can most certainly find out where you live and a lot more information you wouldn't want them to know about. We are all vulnerable...especially the ones who actively participate in social networking.

  • Are Wall Street Speculators Inflating The Cost of Food?   13 years 17 weeks ago

    Quotes from an article by Christopher Cooper at CommonDreams.org:

    "President Barack Obama summed it up as succinctly and as eloquently as only a man of his unflappably cool reserve could, I suppose: “This incident is tragic and shocking, and does not represent the exceptional character of our military and the respect that the United States has for the people of Afghanistan.” Well there. And yer goddamn right, Mr. President. Our boys kick butt! We take it to ‘em! We light up the friggin sky! They don’t mess with the U.S.A. and get away with it. You don’t kill three thousand brave American heroes on September the eleventh, ten years ago, and expect your four year old girl to sleep in her own bed unmolested. Unkilled. Unburned. We do what needs to be done to keep America free, and sometimes along the way an enlisted man goes a little nuts. Just one. Just every little once in a while."

    "And I’ll bet Afghanistan doesn’t even tax dead baby compensation income. Do we pro-rate babies and old people?"

    "you could bomb my house and blow up my car and take away a leg and an arm and I might take your compensation check and relocate and regroup and nurse my grievances in the barroom. But if you or you or you or anybody came in here and killed him, I don’t care if you’re Christian or Jew or Mohammedan or a pagan suckled in some creed outworn, if you hurt him accidentally or on purpose, under orders or because you snapped under the pressure of your third deployment. I’d just want to kill you. And I don’t doubt I might kill you slowly and abuse your damned corpse in some ugly way. You and the guy behind you and the army that comes after that. I’d open you up and I’d nail you to the porch floor.

    Oh, I’d be a bad person for doing so. Why, you might even say I’d become a terrorist, I suppose."

    "Someday somebody related to some of these sufferers, these victims, these collaterally damaged souls, may try to kill you. And I have to tell you, I think you’ll have it coming."

    http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/03/12-1

    Yes, YOU! because you supported a regime that commits these atrocities...these war crimes! And despite Obama's apologies, he is still the top war criminal since Bush left town. He has continued a policy of an illegal war that Bush started, continued committing war crimes, killing civilians, killing people's children...then offering stupid blood money (as little as it is...$1500 per person?) as compensation. We live in a country ruled by very sick and psychotic people....true psychopaths! Too many Big Macs and Fries...most likely.

  • Are Wall Street Speculators Inflating The Cost of Food?   13 years 17 weeks ago

    When are we going to criminalize greed???

  • Are Wall Street Speculators Inflating The Cost of Food?   13 years 17 weeks ago

    Whether its only the speculations, or more back end price manipulation, or the high gas prices being pushed onto the consumer for buying the foods they need, bottom line is it is hard to make ends meet and it is only going to get harder unless by some miracle "greed" is erased from the minds of the ceo's in charge.

  • Afghanistan should serve as a warning to those who call for war with Iran   13 years 17 weeks ago

    War is insane. Started by insane people who train others to do insane things. And no! It is not justified!!! The culpability rises to the very top of our structure as a country. In other words...the buck stops at the top....and with the people who continue to let these top people off the hook. And as such, the top brass including the politicians that voted for war, including the President are all guilty of war crimes and if anyone should be prosecuted it is those people who make the top decisions.

    These soldiers are trained by insane leaders to warp reality so that the soldiers can commit murder without guilt. The propaganda these soldiers are fed sets them up to eventually suffer the psychological consequences of their murderous actions. It is our government who, once they latch onto a soldier for duty in this insanity, keeps sending them back into the war for repeated duties..when they really need professional psychological help and a cessation of reassignments to the conditions that created the psychological problems to begin with.

    It is our government, along with all those MIC businesses, and all those Americans who have invested (and who profit) their money in such MIC business entities, and those Americans who support the war mongers who are responsible for such atrocities as occurs in war zones when troops finally flip out.

    If individual Americans are not totally against these wars, then they are part of the reason why atrocities are committed and innocent civilians and children get murdered. If more Americans would have been less gullible and amenable to the propaganda, after 911, and made it very well known that the Bush Administration was completely dishonest in all the lies they told us, then we wouldn't be having these soldiers flipping out and committing war crimes.

    But, most Americans, it seems, bought the lies...including that 911 was done all by some Muslim terrorists. We need to hold these damn lying politicians' feet to the fire of truth and make them accountable for the atrocities that are committed. We need to start right now...hold the Obama administration responsible for continuing the Bush administration's war crimes and lies that they told us. We cannot let Obama get away with continuing Bush's war crimes.

    It is not enough to hear Obama apologizing for what happened in Afghanistan...which was just one of many...and only the latest. Words are cheap...actions speak louder than words of crocodile teared apologies.

    We don't want any more idiotic lies about why we should be over there...we need to get out NOW...and not a promise of a few years from now. NOW!!! We always do this....it was the same old crap in Vietnam...always they said "Oh, we can't leave now...we have to stay long enough so that the country can stabilize and control themselves." This is all total BS!! GET OUT NOW, OBAMA!!! GET OUT NOW!

    STOP COMMITTING WAR CRIMES AGAINST INNOCENT CIVILIANS. THERE ARE NO ALQAIDA OR TALIBAN THAT ARE A THREAT TO THE US..IT'S TOTAL BS....AND YOU KNOW IT!

    And now that massive tornadoes created all that damage in Illinois and Ohio....FEMA won't even help them out like they were designed to do in the first place. Man, our country has really sunk to it's lowest. The very reason we pay our taxes is so that the government can protect us and help us out during a massive emergency. But our government, rather than helping out it's citizens in disasters like Katrina, and now, the tornadoes, it wants to run and hide and shirk their responsibilities. And they have no problem bailing out Wall Street Ponzi schemers and Crooked Banksters and wasting tons of money on some illegal and immoral war. We are living in a criminal empire where the few wealthy elite runs rough-shod over the masses. It is time for the masses to massively rebel!!!

  • Are Wall Street Speculators Inflating The Cost of Food?   13 years 17 weeks ago

    When does the swaps market bubble explode? Now $700 trillion and counting, it has nothing to prop it up -- the purest form of speculation perhaps possible.

    In some ways our country has sucked the world economy nearly dry and at least a third of all money is now in tax havens. Thom is right on, as usual. But this is a chilling observation when we realize that this entity that Julian Assange recently called a "trans-national military-industrial complex" has such widespread and disastrous affects, literally pulling nations into it like an economic black hole.

  • Are Wall Street Speculators Inflating The Cost of Food?   13 years 17 weeks ago

    That's the "free market" for ya.

  • Are Wall Street Speculators Inflating The Cost of Food?   13 years 17 weeks ago

    Yes, speculation on food prices and the commodities market that rewards lage companies for pushing the market around for no reason other than gain must be stopped!!!!!! You can drive less but most people can't eat less and the big companies know it. Use of food crops for fuel is also driving up prices!

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