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Yes, sure the "top" 1% care and of course they will pay attention. IF they believe that without their cooperation we are going to TAKE BACK what they have stolen from us through government action or through non-violent refusal to cooperate.
The problem with dealing with sociopaths is that we first have to convince them that it's in THEIR best interest to stop harming us. Because they literally could not care less about the harm they have done to us. In fact, those at the top actually feel a sadistic pleasure in harming us. If we can't convince them that it is in their best interest to stop harming us, it will just keep getting worse. Which is why so many people are non-violently occupying so many cities.
The "top" 1% have been trying to turn America into a strongly patriarchal society like Italy and Germany were when the top 1% over there started fascism and the Nazi party. Because in a patriarchal society you have to obey authority even when the authority orders you to violate your conscience and break laws. Which is exactly why the republicans are promoting this whole "Biblical" thing where the woman has to obey the man and women can't control their own reproductive choices. The republicans are trying to change America's relative equality of the sexes, back into a dark ages thing where there is a very strict chain of command: the woman obeys the man or he beats her or kills her, the man obeys the government or the government beats him or kills him, and the government obeys the corporations or the corporations have the government officials beaten or killed. And if the republicans could convince enough women to be subservient to men, they would win this whole thing and they would turn America into an outright fascist country, and the entire world would sink into a condition that would make the dark ages look like heaven.
The republican attempt to do this horrible thing is rank hypocricy, because come on: is there one person on this entire planet who believes that Sarah Palin obeys her husband? Why, if he crossed her she would gut him with a boat hook. And who among us believes that Michelle Bachman is subservient to her husband?
The answer is simple: civil disobedience. Just as is happening all over America. The banks and other corporations own our criminal Supreme Court, our congress, and our White House. They own our police and our military. But when enough of us take to the streets for long enough, they will fold. No government can control a populace that refuses to cooperate.
Now, the next question is, just how stupid are those would-be fascists who want to run America? I ask this question because how stupid they are will indicate how long it will take to convince them that they have lost again. America does not belong to international criminals, to fascists and would-be dictators. America does not belong to war-mongering inhuman cruelty. America belongs to patriots, to people who believe in freedom. This is our country, our flag, our constitution.
I am so disappointed in my fellow Americans at times, what is wrong with us. We are a nation of people that put their very lives on the table to run the English off this rock. And then fought to build this Great Nation. They not only put their lives on the table in a life or death bet, but the lives of their wives and children as well. They not only did it gladly, but because they had NO choice. They were being straved out by a bunch of greedy pigs. Now we find ourselves facing the same exact situation, and what do I see in the answers on this poll, NO the Greedy pigs are going to win. Bull, not as long as I am alive and can pick up a rock, we the people are going to run the 1%ers off this rock again. And then we are going to set up some factories, and start building the items we need for ourselves. By the people, and for the people. And thats that. Are you going to fight for your families, or let a measely 1% beat you. What a bunch of wimps. Shame on you. Bet, fold, or get away from the table.
Yes, the "99%" of America will 'listen'. Will they -be- =able= to =do= anything (significant) about it? =THAT= is the important question! And, frankly, without some -serious- 'blood in the streets', I doubt it. Why? Because entirely too many "people" have been deliberately -and- =willingly= turned into "sheeple". Sorry, but that's how I see it .. at present.
I agree with Chubbell, except it's not that they don't care, it's because that's the way they planned for it to be once they cashed in on Roosevelt securities issued during the Depression, many of which have been stolen from Charitable Trusts, Foundations, and Private Trusts and Wills.
It was planned for the G.W.Bush generation to have everything in their hands, easily demonstrated by calculating the age of the New Deal securities.
It was the robber barons' collective ultimate revenge on the Roosevelts for upsetting their arsenic-laden apple carts.
Nope. They don't care. Same thing happened in 1929.
"When the white man discovered this country, Indians were running it. No taxes, no debt, women did all the work. White man thought he could improve on a system like this." ..... Cherokee saying.
Has anyone seen this Youtube video... I ran across it yesterday
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz0swK0mpMk
Kinda spooky
In response to the news I heard on the show today that Ken Salazar had declared hydro-fracking to be 'safe', I wrote him the following letter which you can read here: Another Betrayal.
I was astounded by something on The Colbert Report recently. Stephen was going through a simple procedure to allow his super PAC to keep its donors secret. His lawyer said that a corporation might donate only to this kind of PAC so that it can keep its its donations secret from the public and its shareholders. I can't believe a corporation's board and CEO can keep any financial action from its shareholders. If we could fix that, then the secret donation process would be virtually ineffective.
Taschreyer, are you saying the financiers think Wall Street is the real world, or that the protesters think Wall Street is the real world? I would like to think you meant the financiers, but they weren't mentioned in the quote, so "these guys" should logically refer to the protesters.
Up until a few weeks ago, I didn't think we would. But now my faith in humanity is beginning to be restored.
P.S. Please put voting buttons on this page so when we share it, people can vote rather than just view the results of an ongoing poll. (Vote on front page) Thanks Thom!
The majority of the American middle class will vote against its own best interests. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-10-05/the-real-u-s-map-a-country-of-r...
Right-wing news and punditry is trying to paint the Occupy Wall Street protesters as extremely left-wing, because they're worried that the original TEA Party people (the ones with actual populist concerns) will join them.
Nice chart, Mathboy! Too bad that one right wing idiot chimed in with his two cents worth...
Charts help tell the real story...but cartoons often also help in that regard. I am no cartoonist but I had a mental cartoon of a fat man sitting at a table (a very thick slab of gold laced marble) being supported on the backs of emaciated and downtrodden workers. On the table next to the huge platter of caviar and lobster sits a first edition of "Atlas Shrugged". The man's chair was a gold laced marble throne being supported by other sickly workers. And the slobbering porcine man says "money has to be 'earned' and not just given to people". He blurts out to the workers..."Now, who is the culprit who whispered that I inherited most of my money and got the rest by stealing from the poor...and that I would burn in hell? Jesus was a capitalist and you will all suffer your fate because you didn't follow my religion...and believeth in me...for I am the light. I'm so magnanimous, righteous, and holy I deserve everything I own...and you all don't! I tell you, you are all so lucky that I let you 'support me'...you should all be kissing my feet!" And then, one of the stammering workers replies with " but, but, wasn't Ayn Rand an atheist?" The fat man turns red and chokes to death on his own folly..his golden slippers shrivel up and the fat man melts. Hi, ho, the dary-o. Swing-em hi, and swing-em low. Hi, ho, the wicked witch is dead!....the death of capitalism? laissez faire killed capitalism...off with his head!
Well, that might be a lot to put into a cartoon...and I wouldn't be surprised if a similar one hasn't already been published.
I'm going to have to stop eating all of those cat-flavored chili poppers before bed.
Similar to Trump quote Thom shared this morning:
Hi Thom,
I just received an investment newsletter (free -- I receive several) today that commented on the Occupy Wall St. movement. It offers the following advice to the protestors -- Put down your signs! Fire your broker! Take responsibility for your own investments!!!"
These guys have NO CLUE what is happening in the real world. They think that Wall Street is the real world!
I made a chart last night to better show the class difference: http://www.thomhartmann.com/users/mathboy/blog/2011/10/wealth-disparity-more-helpful-infographic
If enough people hear the truth and these far right wingers are pretty blatant about their beliefs and/or agendas, they will wake up long enough to vote for their own interests and against the rich political contributors. In the end I'm hoping that the Tea Party controlled republicans wind up shooting themselves in the foot.
I think that Chase is trying to create a US Gestapo: http://www.truth-out.org/open-letter-wall-street/1317680703
What is happing is that Chase thinks that buy giving $4.6 million to the New York police foundation, that they can create a Gestapo out of the police and expand that to the transportation workers. They are looking for people who put money above human life and will put their moms and brothers and sisters in jail for a buck, even if there is no reason too.
If Wall Street could create jobs as fast as they do money, then this wouldn't be happening because everyone would be making money and shopping at Macy's instead of Wall Mart.
Whatever takes place in that building...Our trust in our Government has been greatly deminished . All anyone need do is just look back at what Our elected officials have done to keep the Criminally insane investment community & Banksters rolling in bonuses , It's hard for Me to understand that there's this blatant pro-corporate anti-public mindset , when so very few benefit so completely in such a grand windfall then act as if even the smallest social program costs them to much like it was being taken from there own wallets when it's we the people they are stealing from and laughing all the way to the banksters and Military contractors they soon end up working for while the next elected officials spend there career hang off the public tit until they are ready to take there place in the corporate board room and the cycle repeats itself all the while stealing for there kind and perpetuating there agenda .. They should ALL without exception be barred from working in the very sector they once governed over for at least 5 yrs after public service . The rest need to give back the paychecks there daughters braces there wifes many facelifts and so on .. WE ARE SICK of our struggle while these SOBs Milk the system as if it were there's by design ! I've had enough and I'm ready to take desperate measures to get my point across... CAN YOU HEAR OUR PLEA....??????
Took the day off to cut firewood so I'll make a late comment.
Anybody see a headline about CANTOR BLOCKING THE HOPES AND NEEDS OF THE VAST MAJORITY......jobs and an economy that works? If not then ask yourself why....the corp. media is partner in the death of democracy movement . Scream loud protestors, blast out the truth, I'm gonna get my sign ready!
Answer: Americans won't have to wait for Republicans to block what the corporate party's Democrat Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid, already has... on 10/04/11.
Cognitive dissonant liberals keep blaming the Republicans for everything that those self-proclaimed "intelligent" liberals have joined together in solidarity with the ignorant conservatives to corporate party vote for.
The results of elections, in which 99% participating reliably vote for either the (R) or the (D) "electable" offered by the corporate party, have provided proofs positive that the smarter half of the electorate is clearly the half that has refused to vote.
See The "Principles" of Liberal Voters:
http://www.chenangogreens.org
I like this! The Human Occupation of Pennsylvania Avenue.
They just may hand Obama a token jobs bill but on the heels of yet more tax cuts for "Them" and almost without questions some sort of Industrial Deregulation or what they percive as "Government control" but what these blind fools just don't seem to get is that there is a tidal wave building all over the world against these "Elite" and because they are almost falling down drunk with there apparent temporary total control of the chaos they have infected this planet with they have lost sight of the obvious . How long did you honestly think WE THE PEOPLE would tolerate your disgusting lust for more did you really think we would just go on swallowing your disgusting thirst for more while you gorge on the lives the hopes the very dreams of every single American family who's very nature is a forgiving one ? You just could'nt let WE THE PEOPLE live the "Dream" you just had to allow your out of control drunken greed and addiction for power totally consume you that you lost your objectivity to the point of being swept up by the very tidal wave you created, Did you really think your plan would work you silly sick twisted fools. The Neo-con Republican party is GONE and soon on it's way down the very same toilet you all crawled out of, you will all go down in history as the failed party who's greed & lust for power left unchecked was responsible for the murder of hundreds of thousands of innocent Human beings. Good Bye and good luck in Hell ...
Yes, without a doubt.
I don't like either.
I can't answer when words are put in my mouth. Yes or no only.
Republicans will get what they are looking for and then some that they don't expect.
Democrats need to chose a side or get kicked to the side too!
We need americans in office, not party players with self concerns not for americans.