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If those Tea Baggers did something that would benefit working Americans, they would think the Wrath of God had come down on them. It's so sad they really think God wants and approves of their actions, well a note from above the God that I pray to everynight doesn't think so. They need to start reading the Christian version not the Tea Baggers version of the Bible. The Bible is the most read and most incorrectly quoted book ever printed, take a word here and there doesn't come close to the real intent of the Bible.
Genr8debate, your comments need to be posted where more people can see it, you hit the nail right on the head.
Great earthquake you're having there, Thom! You probably thought you were moving away from all of that when you left the left coast. I was shocked when I saw you bouncing around there during your show.
I knew someone (a co-worker), when I was working in California, who got shook up in our 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake and decided to move back to the St. Louis area. It wasn't long before St. Louis had an earthquake as well. Then I had a friend who lived in the Buffalo, NY area who thought living in California, with all those earthquakes, was silly...then they had an earthquake epicenter just over the Canadian border. The problem with some of these areas is that they still use brick and cement to build their houses. And some of those old brick buildings are not built to withstand much of a shocker. I heard some of the spires from the National Cathedral fell down.
One of the biggest concerns, as we could see from the Japanese earthquake and tsunami was the vulnerability of the nuclear power plants. The North Anna Nuclear Power Plant, in Virginia, is located just about 11.37 miles NNE of the 5.9 epicenter. The epicenter was 5 miles south and 1 mile west of Mineral, Va. There was no known damage to the Nuke Plant...and they shut down as a precautionary measure...but it could have been worse....or even disastrous. I noticed that there have been, over the years, a number of smaller earthquakes in that general area...like 3.1, etc. In 1984, there was a 4.2 earthquake with an epicenter just a few miles west of Palmyra which was only 22 miles SSW of today's epicenter. And there have been more recent, but smaller ones, just to the south of today's epicenter. I don't know why they seem to put Nuclear Power Plants in locations that are prone to natural disasters like earthquakes and tsunamis.
The Republicans just care about getting Obama out of office just like they did when Clinton was in office. The GOP is so out of touch with most Americans except for the super rich and corporations. Some other Americans who follow the GOP and vote for them are a mystery to me especially the people from the middle class. I have no idea why they vote for them. Can someone tell me?
Actually as I understand it, if frac'ing is causing earthquakes, that woulnd't necessarily be a bad thing. If frac'ing did cause the earthquake in DC, in fact it didn't create the cause, it only triggered the symptom, and in the case of earthquakes, its better to have them happen happen more often than to build up to a humongous one. Fact of the matter is, it's not a matter of if an earthquake is going to hit, it is only a matter of when, and its better to have 3 or 4 that registers at around 5.0 or 6.0 than it is to have one that hits 7.0 or 8.0 or worse.
Though that being said, I still can't support frac'ing, pumping poisonous chemicals into the ground, and ground water = really bad idea.
N
I was listening to the comments by Jan LaRue regarding the violence in London and I wanted to comment myself. The statement Ms. LaRue made regarding the "fact" that London has a much higher rate of violence and murder than we do (of course she didn't specify which city she was refering to), but this is a simple fact anyone can easily look up on the internet. Why the right wingers make these wildly inaccurate statements constantly when they know anyone can simply prove them wrong is beyond me except that I assume they know that their primary audience will simply take them at their word without checking the facts because they don't want to believe any different.
The truth is, according to the FBI statistics, the homicide rate in the U.S. is approximately five times that of western Europe and has been so for the last eight decades. Violent crime also is much higher. There has been an effort to manipulate these statistics (as usual) by using inaccurate comparisons that using models with different population numbers, infanticide, assisted suicide, and euthanasia numbers. In other words, simply manipulating data when they get caught misquoting statistics.
The key point is, as always, check the facts. Unfortunately, the right wing talkers are notorious for making up statistics to make their point, and it has become so commonplace within our mainstream media that most don't even question these people on their facts anymore and as such their claims get more and more outrageous.
Btw the caller who told Thom to go into a doorway is WRONG. I'm a teacher in SoCal and we've been told unequivocally to NOT go into a doorway. The door can swing shut & really hurt you. Instead you should crouch under a strong table away from shelves, cupboards, and glass, use one hand to cover the back of your head, the other to hang on to the table, shut your eyes tight, and if you feel like it, tell the earthquake to stop. When the shaking has stopped you should exit the building as soon as it is safe and get to an open area away from trees, power lines, etc.
Also the so-called "triangle of safety" you might hear about in emails doesn't apply to the US. That is safest in countries with substandard building codes. Though if you're in an old brick building that hasn't been retrofitted ....
Howdy y'all,
The Republicans want to raise taxes on the average working American. We have to frame this argument in the best possible light for our side. The 2010 tax agreement kept the Bush tax cuts in place
and provided for a one year tax holiday by reducing the EMPLOYEE portion of FICA tax by 2% from 6.2% to 4.2% . Many Progressives and President Obama want to exend this tax cut, the Republicans
do not. They will do anything to stop this extension --- that is TAX INCREASE ! (just like they argued last December) THIS WILL BE A 35% TAX INCREASE FOR THE AVERAGE AMERICAN !!!!!!!!!!!
But you say it is only a 2% increase. Yes a 2% increase in the tax RATE, but 35% in total federal taxes paid. The facts:
2009 Married couple with 2 children under 18 (ignore state taxes, standard deduction only)
US Median Family Income $50,303
Standard deduction inc tax paid $ 11
Payroll taxes 7.65 % $ 3848
Total Federal Taxes $ 3859
(income taxes reduced from $2811 with $800 Making Work pay tax credit, an $1000 child credit x 2)
2010
US Median Family Income $50,303
Standard deduction inc tax paid $ 11
Payroll taxes 5.65 % $ 2842
Total Federal Taxes $ 2853
(income taxes reduced from $2811 with $800 Making Work pay tax credit, an $1000 child credit x 2)
2011
US Median Family Income $50,303
Standard deduction inc tax paid $ 11
Payroll taxes 7.65 % $ 3848
Total Federal Taxes $ 3859
(income taxes reduced from $2811 with $800 Making Work pay tax credit, an $1000 child credit x 2)
The Republican wants to see the taxes for the AVERAGE (median) FAMILY increase by $1006 ---- A 35% INCREASE IN FEDERAL TAXES !!!!!!!
Stay away from the language suggesting an end to a tax break, this is nothing more than a tax increase on working Americans !!! (according to the Republican way of looking at things.
Many on our side are concerned with the effect of this tax holiday on the Social Security Trust Fund. These folks are buying into the Republicans talking points. Who says SS in in crisis ?
The only reason they think it is in crisis is because they do not want to have to raise general tax revenues to start to redeem the $2.7 TRILLION in the trust fund. Every solution the Republicans
propose just adds to the trust fund and kicks the can down the road so they won't be there when it is time to start paying off these bonds. A 2% reduction on employee contributions is a
decrease of 2/12.4 % or just under one-sixth. This means that for each year the tax cut is in place the viability of the trust fund is shortened by less than 2 months !!! When you take into account the
multiplier effect and the likely increase in economic activity this foreshortening should be somewhat less than 2 months. Raising the age of eligibility does ABSOLUTELY NOTHING for
today's budget problems. The only thing this will do is erode support for Social Security among younger workers !
There should be no changes to Social Security until most of those bonds have been redeemed, sometime in the 2030's !!!
For more info read "Cracking the Code" by Thom Hartmann
Another great book and must read for talk show hosts is "Crimes Against Logic" Exposing the Bogus Arguments of Politicians, Priests, Journalists, and Other Serial Offenders by Jamie Whyte
Heres my synopsis: The U.S. is beyond hope. The Religious Right (GOP) strategically uses "Religion" aka "I'm a god fearing Christian" to find "common ground" (choke, choke) with the uneducated, equally "religious" poor. Brilliant! Just mention praying for god to help the nation (Tip: Praying or not praying = it always boils down to "god's will, doesn't it?...Arghh) and Bingo! ...everyone is rallying around multimillionaire "god fearing" condidate. I lost my job due to the fact that I was actually advising my staff to process medical claims quickly, so the customers could actually pay their bills. Paying claims on time or before time, was a practice "frowned upon" (yeah, how much interest did you say you were accruing while you sat on the claims?) After an "intervention" with the upper management regarding my too eager/compassionate attitude, I was fired. Two years later...no job...not even for minimum wage. SO...I moved to Europe and even before I arrived, had a job offer. In fact, I have had multiple offers since I moved here (and in short order). My suggestion? MOVE OUT OF THE COUNTRY! Maybe those multimillionaires can become their own tax basis! Seriously, folks...All this crap about "Take Back America!"...What is there to "take back"? DUH! Something is only worth something if there is money in the coffers to back it up. This is not rocket science. You have no idea of just how bad things are there, unless you have the luxury of watching it with a non-American who can only say: "You have to be kidding? A city in America that can't support a fire department?" PATHETIC!
Just wanted people to know that we also felt it in NJ. About one minute after I heard thom say he felt it in DC we got it in NJ. No damage
I'm glad everyone's okay there in DC. We had a 5.3 earthquake in Colorado this morning, the largest we've had since 1967 (not counting Operation Plowshare). I'm 180 miles from that epicenter, so I didn't feel it.
IF they loved USA They would stop voting for GOP Tea Baggers who are working hard to protect corps and are killing jobs & US economy. Talk is cheap It takes action !
Agreed . Tea Bagger GOP count on gullible low info & uneducated voters. Thats how they win. GOP congress had not done one thing for job/ economy They lie,block stall and fight for more huge corp tax cuts, and they vow to crush Obama, cut education, cut disabled, Pell Grants, old & sick, Gut EPA so corps can dump more toxic chemicals in air and water.Prayer will not work Action will Look what Wis did Now Ohio. Speak out now and often www.congress.gov www.whitehouse.gov Demand they be BOLD and work for us NOT corps / billionaires ! The Greed must end Its killing the USA
I'm sure you guys have seen this since the group has been around for a long time but just in case you haven't or need to be reminded, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZEvA8BCoBw&feature=youtu.be
I confess I have not really given the idea that the U.S. was behind 9/11 much if any credibility until recent when I realized how close Bush was with the Saudi's and how many ties he had to terrorist networks. And now this video is the clincher for me. It's no longer a matter of possibly but definitley for me. Building 7 was their major discrepancy, as pointed out in the video. There was no possible justification for building 7 imploding as it did. There were not even significant fires in #7 prior to its collapse. And you can hear explosions much like you would hear with any coordinated demolition. Just look at the crudentials of the experts in this video. They are an elite group of architects and mechanical engineers, 1500 of them.
It's hard to believe that the American empire could be this evil but when you look at the scope of the wars that this event has produced and the scope of corporate power and profit that has been generated as a direct result of 9/11 I guess 3000 lives was a small sacrifice for them. How horrible is the hell going to be for those responsible for this? They have no idea how severe and how long they will be tortured for this incredibly evil abomination.
We have an excellent example of congress allocating capital, Fannie/Freddie.
Acarstsen, You nailed it. This Republican vs Democrats is a red herring that keeps problem solvers from focusing on the sorry state of our economy. A economic problem does not have a political solution.
"Now Obama wants to help working people, and its time for Republicans to drop their opposition and pass a news jobs and stimulus package ASAP." - Hartmann
Does anyone else tire of Thom always making this Republicans vs Democrats? The Democrats are damn near as bad, and Obama clearly doesn't really want to help working people, he just wants to continue the transfer of wealth upwards. Thom is too smart not to know this, but he insists on playing this game and justifies it with the old "gotta have a Democrat in the White House to appoint the next Supreme Court Justice" canard.
If we are not brave enough to oppose Obama's depraved agenda, regardless of the high stakes, we are doomed.
Unless every Representative and Senator hears loudly and clearly from his/her constituents that we are opposed to these obstructionist policies, and demand that they put people over ideology, there wil be a continuation of gridlock. Each of us, who call ourselves liberal or progressive must start to try to influence our own circles.
We need also to congratualate and thank those Congresspersons who vote for the liberal agenda. They are beleaguered by conservative constituents and lobbyists to compromise their principle. They need to know that we are with them.
Our President needs to stand firm for principle and use his office to take his message to all the people. There can be no compromise with political opponents who seem to make it a point of honor to bring down the President (and the country) rather than work to fund job creation and allow us to pay our bills. Why should there be any linkage between raising the debt ceiling and paying our authorized debts? Continuing to kick the can down the road by appointing a so-called Super Commitee to decide these issue . . . later . . .is idiotic and doomed to failure.
President Obama and the Senate must lay out a clear program for growth and show the consequences of failure to the American people. Most people oppose the present deadlock in Congress. All polls clearly show that the population opposes cuts in Social Security (a total red herring issue), Medicare and Medicaid, so long as the people see how it will effect them.
Why can't we take that to the political bank and cash it
The hope of Republican support for a stimulus package is complete nonsense. With the debt reduction, anti-stimulus deal, they've already set the drought-stricken economic woods on fire. They don't want to even see the smoke clear until some theocratic nut "hearing voices" is sitting in the White House.
Hi Thom, enjoyed the show today. I particularly enjoyed the perspective of one of your callers named Jason from Washington D.C. discussing Israel. I know a lot of people get tired of hearing about Israel but it has been one of the most if not the most important foreign policy issues for over 50 years now (I could be a bit off on that). The best explanation I have seen or read about Israel has been given by Noam Chomsky although I do feel that sometimes he can be a bit extreme especially in the degree of accountability that he places on Pres. Obama. Frankly, all I have to say is look at the size of the Pentagon. There is only so much the Pres. can do to change things. He did express the sentiments of his heart on numerous occasions though where he said he felt that they should go back to the old borders before the realligment. That situation actually gave us a good idea of how limited the Pres. is in dealing with certain areas of foreign policy. There are certain areas that are obviously not to be touched and are not subject to change. Which necessitates the question, who is really in charge of our foreign policy decisons in regard to Israel? I guess it is Israel. I guess that is the point, I don't know. Maybe you have a different take on it? I can only imagine the heavy criticism that the Pres. faced after making those statements about going back to the previous border alignment.
I would like to hear your take on the whole Israel situation especially in terms of what direct role they play in American politics. Your caller today started to discuss the scope of lobbying that Israeli's are involved in and I'm not sure I heard him right but I think he said that they contribute over 40% of the campaign contributions? Was he saying that American Jews are doing this? Anyhow, I was hoping to get some clarification and explanation on this issue. Is this Jewish alliance an essential element of the elitist corporate movement or is this money serving the interest of true democratic power distribution at least to a certain degree? I guess it is a bit of both? And how much are these "banksters" associated with this Jewish alliance? I am not at all an anti-semite. In fact two of my biggest heros are Jewish. Nonetheless every race has its share of bad apples.
I've said it often when the captitalists won't spend, the Government, "We the People" the majority invest in ourselves. A graphic I came across a while ago speaks volumes to laissez faire, trickle down ecomomics.
https://skydrive.live.com/?sc=photos&cid=8c6eb4d65cf084f1#cid=8C6EB4D65C...
As a 75 year old great grandmother, I shudder to think what will happen to America if the Republicans have their way. There are so many people who NEVER look at anything and will believe all of the attack ads that will surely be coming out during 2012 - the Republicans know this, that is why they are so blatant in attacking everything and everyone that is not rich and well connected. I pray every night for this country.
tarp was the tip of the iceberg.. check out this youtube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLpzPVEJgZg
The situation is hopeless... Unless Obama forces the lenders to mark to market all of those underwater loans, ie. drop the prinicipal balances down to fair market value and let all the people stay in their homes, the housing market will never recover. Until it recovers the economy will never recover.
The New York Times reported that 6 million homes have been foreclosed upon already (making how many children homeless?) And 14.6 million homes are underwater.... WHAT IF ALL OF THEM STOPPED MAKING PAYMENTS IN THE SAME MONTH? WOULDN'T THAT BE A GREAT REVOLUTION... A SILENT, BLOODLESS ONE ? Would we get the attention of the banksters then?There are not enough buyers out there to buy all of those homes. To foreclose, make people homeless, then bulldoze the houses... Is that the senario..? then what will be in this economy, society? Geeze...
DROP THE PRINCIPAL BALANCES DOWN TO THE FAIR MARKET VALUE OF THE HOMES.
WHICH IS AT LEAST 33% LESS THAN IT WAS 5 YEARS AGO... so those people who put their life savngs of 20% down into a home are wiped out.
the Banksters have robbed all of us!!They and the Feds are laughing all the way to their banks and their profits and the middle class is hurting, badly!!
Help organize a boycott of not making mortgage payments if you are underwater. After all if you have lost your 20% down, here is a way to recover some of it... Live free in the house... If enough people did that at one time we can really organize a revolution!!
they could never handle 14.6 million foreclosures at the same time and MERS probably claims ownership of them, and they have been robosigned and its a mess.... If we did that we would get their attention!!
Even though I believe there actually are a few Republicans who hate America, and I think that many are the ones who screamed themselves to the top of the Republican leadership (which, incidently, is the same thing that destroyed the unions), I think most Republicans are just Americans like you and me. They seem to have drunk the Party Tea and feel like they will be personally better off if they cast their lot with the Republicans. Or, maybe even get rich if they associate with the right types. But, the ones I know love America.
I voted "no" because I can't believe the Republicans will drop their opposition, but I think that opposition, and the resulting position, has intentions and implications far beyond the 2012 election. This opposition is but a part of a concerted, focused, well planned, well executed, and well funded effort to maintain or increase the right-ward shift in American politics that has been consistently implemented since we fell prey to the allures of Hollywood and picked the cute guy. We elected Reagan. It's been all downhill (or sharply right) since then. Our unions are helpless, toothless, aged advocates for a reasonable pro-America agenda, having allowed themselves to come under the influence of stupidity and organized crime, and to be ruled by their own fringe elements. So now, they cannot be taken seriously. And, they simply can't match the dollars generated by the Corporatists. Even worse, the entire political landscape has shifted so far to the right, our own Bill Clinton gave us NAFTA! Our current President, obviously chosen as the lesser of two (or more) evils, maintains a political posture somewhat further to the right than Eisenhower. Can you imagine Obama advocating for an Interstate Highway System? He who put the next moon mission on the chopping block? I think you can put to rest any hope you may have had that Obama represents the "New Roosevelt".
Now you've read my tale of gloom, written in spite of the fact that the "good guys" hold the Presidency AND the Senate. The Tea Party continues to hold the entire country hostage for a self-serving agenda that is sure lead to the demise of America as we know Her. The rest of the "establishment" appears to ride along in the interests of gentlemanly conduct (unless you subscribe to the notion that this "establishment" is in cahoots!).
So what's the answer? I think three things must happen in order to put America on track to regain its premier position in the world:
1. We must fix the Supreme Court. It is sad to contemplate where the country would head if the Court's balance were shifted by only one vote. Surely, a progressive-leaning Court would reverse such devastaing decisions as Citizens United. But, would a progressive court use its kingly powers to advance its own agenda, feeling empowered, or even required, by the previous conservative one? Would that not be as bad as the ideologically conservative court that now rules the land?
2. We must get this message and these discussions beyond the pages of Thom's blog, and make sure that Americans know there is an alternative, one that stands in their best interests, one that is based on fair-play for everyone. Somehow, we must overcome the corporate stranglehold that afflicts our mass media. We must educate our populace to understand that the news report they see on TV each night is skewed by the corporate owner of their favorite station. Even those who have drunk the Tea are Americans, and they deserve to hear the truth.
3. We must take control of the Democratic Party so that we can insure the party message is a populist one, and not a corporatist one, and to insure that our candidates and elected officials are empowered to act in our interests. We can do this by listening to Thom Hartmann when he exhorts us to take a page from the Tea-Party instruction manual and show up at our precinct meeting or caucus. We must do this now, before our civil liberties are so restricted that we cannot meet for political purposes. The rest, as they say, will be history.