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.
I'm an ex-fundamentalist right-winger and I've spent a lot of time inside the same mind-set as Perry, Palin, and Bachmann. I especially know how Perry thinks. I am very familiar with the preachers from the Colorado Springs churches that were around the disgraced Ted Haggard and who were instrumental in Perry's prayer effort in Texas. If you think Mormonism is wild, wait'll you see people who "bind the devil" and "bring down the Queen of Heaven over America": it's berserk. But Perry is especially strange and worrisomely charismatic. With the right-wing now out on the extremes, this guy could become powerful. He's already almost turned Texas into a banana republic. I call it "Republitopia." I used to live there. Perry reminds me of nothing so much as Elmer Gantry.
Is American fascism coming of age, wrapped in the flag and waving a Bible? I think so. If Perry makes it to the Oval Office, we are definitely, as Thom says, "screwed."
One other comment: Perry was a C and D student in college. Not a problem: many CEOs have pedigrees like that. But it begs the question: Is he ADHD? Or is there something else lurking behind his rise to Texas' longest-running governor? With Romney out saying "corporations are people" and this guy, we're headed into what may be the season of the witch.
The answer to the question is simple. Fox network equals right wing propaganda. A debate seems more like a Hollywood game show. Avoid important questions, filter the truth and report lies, the people who depend on Fox are hypnotized and lack essential information for critical thinking.People have become lazy and do not want to invest time into checking things out for themselves. The Fox Network provides propaganda 24/7 molding opinion to fit corporate interests. I frequently see excerpts of personality after personality spieling the corporate right wing agenda instead of speaking truth. Their moto of " fair and balanced" is a pipe dream.
The other networks aren't much different. I remember when NBC refused to allow Dennis Kucinich an opportunity to debate during the last Presidential election thus eliminating his discourse and progressive ideas to be discussed. I am worried our voice is never heard. Why wasn't the progressive caucus allowed to communicate their Budget proposals? All we heard about was Paul Ryan's Plan and Obama's no plan, the other options are swept under the rug never to be heard or seen of again. It is really sad to see good feasible options available but instead we allow the race to the bottom.
Why isn't more being reported on the Rupert Murdoch investigation. Why isn't their outcry for the failure of Fox Network to serve the interest of the public. They have nothing but Hatred for Government and the American people.
Well, since outrageous slander, lies, inuendoes, and just plain bullshit, are rights that enjoy absolute constitutionallyprotection in these times when all of our other constitutional rights have disappeared courtesy of our fascist supreme court, here are the questions I would have asked the republican candidates:
1. Do you still beat your wife?
2. Are your children terrified of you when you are drunk or on drugs?
3. Do you still beat your dog?
4. Did they convict you when you stole $80,000 from your relatives?
5. Do you still deal drugs on the side?
6. Are you still a closet communist? I'm only asking because I've seen the photos of you having dinner parties with known communisists.
7. Would you like to talk about the five children you had with your mistress and girldfriends, and the abortions you made them get?
8. I understand you cheated your way through college and that your father had to donate $40,000 to the college in order for them to not kick you out. Would you like to admit it now, or wait until later, when the proof is made public?
9. Is it true that you get sexually excited when prisoners are executed and that you have an entire video library of executions?
10. Do you want to talk about the illegal immigrant women you have forced to have sex with you, in exchange for getting them green cards?
11. Were you ever convicted during the years when you supported your drug addiction by breaking into people's houses and stealing their belongings?
12. I understand that several farmers are suing you for sexually abusing their farm animals. Would you like to talk about that?
13. When were you planning on revealing the fact that you had a sex-change operation ten years ago?
14. I understand that one of your gay lovers is writing a book about his torid relationship with you. Would you like to comment on that?
15. Is it true that you got both your pastor's wife and his teenage daughter pregnant?
16. Would you care to comment on the fact that every year you take a sexual tourism trip to Thailand, and that your doctor says he has treated you for sexually-communicable diseases eighteen times? Isn't that some sort of record for a congressman?
18. You say that you are a Christian, and yet, in the last five months you have spent $18.296 on prostitutes. Is that ok with your wife?
This is spot on. And the solution is unfortunate, but necessary. This cycle will not change until someone hits the reset button.
I listened to David Cobb this week and he carried much of what you are saying. www.movetoamend.org.
The recent debt limit circus is a very clear example that our elected representatives are NOT listening to their constituents. Polls continued to show that a balanced resolution was wht the people want. We got the "bipartisan" agreement that is the trademark of Obama along with a Super Congress that is possibly unconstitutional. Time and time again, we are seeing that those elected are listening to their corporate and wealthy sponsors. This Big $$$$$ is at the core of nearly all the issues facing our country including continuing of multiple wars, healthcare reform, air and water pollution and the crash of 2008 with a lingering recession (no jobs, no recovery). If we can get this poisoning money out of our political system, we can get our elected representatives to be more responsive to those that really put them in office, the voters. Start here:www.movetoamend.org.
Court rules against Obama healthcare mandate..Unconstitutional to require all Americans to buy insurance or face penalty: http://ca.news.yahoo.com/appeals-court-rules-against-obama-healthcare-law-171829777.html Ron Paul Part Two Debate > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wItY1cDOqd4&feature=player_embedded#at=183
"What would I have asked (during the debate)"... Why do each one of you talk out of both sides of your mouth depending on which self-indulgent side best fits your Republican religious worship of money.
I think it is a little bit of both. They have a very sick, symbiotic relationship that has developed since the Eisenhower years. And both parties have contributed to it. Out of the Chicago School of Economics we got the Shock Doctrine. And we got the Jim Jones Kool-Aid that all Republicans and Democrats have consumed with giddiness that giving tax breaks to the "job creators" creates jobs, and the argument that the global economy mandates this - nothing more than American imperialism using cheap labor off-shore and killing American jobs and the economic engine that gave rise to and powered our middle class. And here we are today. So how to change the paradigm - probably can't. I think we are doomed. It is like telling Christians that the Bible is not the word of God. Their whole being, the reason for their existence comes crashing in on them. Couldn't deal with it. Same in politics. Telling Republicans and Democrats that tax breaks for the "job creators" creates jobs is tantamount to their cherished polictical reality coming a-crashing in on them. Both parties would actually have to own their legislative and political engineering failures, and no one has the courage to do that. And Obama doesn't have the courage to stand up to the "message machine" and tell the truth. So yes, it is a little bit of both. I have seen the enemy and that enemy is Congress! We are so very, very screwed...
All true but millions of very low info gullible voters keep voting for same breed of greedy devious anti US -anti middle class- pro corp - pro billionaire policies, pro con judges. Goldman Fed boys did their part from Greenspan, Rubin forward that pushed hard for NAFTA CAFTA WTO All Anti USA trade policies. NO chance of changing that as long as GOP Baggers rule .
Opps I meant to vote' too much corp money in gov't ' Can I take that back ? Luv Ya Thom & Lousie WE must Keep fighting till they listen
Ron Paul Brilliant in Iowa Debate : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSMsecpsDnA
Here's a article about Mitt Rommey commenting that corporations are people : http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/mitt-romney-says-corporations-are-people/2011/08/11/gIQABwZ38I_story.html
I don't like the GOP and I cannot lie.
They have castles and casinos on the sly.
They raised a different Lincoln,
with smokin', drugs and drinkin'-
Not caring if you live, or how you die.
XXXXX
Thom One of the things I kept hearing over and over agin from those GOP candidates was the need for a strong leader.I am a grown man and can form my own thoughts and I don't need someone to hold my hand and tell me how and what I should think.I would like to tell these conservitive idiots they should pull there noses out of there fat CEO's asses and put them in some history books so they can read about some strong leader that have led there own followers to slauter!
Tlhank you Louise, for making the show WAY more enjoyable w/o all the interrupting commercials!
Thanks for the recap. With all that's going on these days, I don't think I could stomach watching a corporate owned/operated debate.
Refusing to enforce a law is the same thing as striking down a law. When a court "strikes down" a law, it remains on the books.
Thom,
Thank you for all that you do to help all living things and our environment. I must say that I'm surprised at how defeatest you are in your assessment of the outcome in Wisconsin. I grew up in Wisconsin and I don't see myself moving away any time soon. In my 56 years I have never gotten any more politically involved than to cast my vote. I consider voting a very important priviledge. Things changed for me with the injustices being inflicted upon our great state and I volunteered for this cause on many ocassions. My wife, daughter and mother-in-law also participated and they had never gone beyond voting either. We came VERY close to our goal and there are moderate Republicans who are now taking publicly about working with the Democrats in a more collaborative manner. This brings me to the question of whether "we the people" will be able to mobilize to counteract the power of the wealthy. As much as I appreciate the efforts of the organizers in Wisconsin the volunteer experience has MANY problems. My background is in facilitating teams through processes and solving complex problems through this collaboration. I saw a number of opportunities to improve the process and I know that the process could be significantly improved by working to understand the network of problems and then applying the creativity of the participants. I've seen this work in product development, manufacturing and non-profit volunteer endeavors. I truly believe that we can create a flexible model of mobilizing "we the people" that will much more effectively harness the potential of the people who are motivated to participate. It's a tall order and it will take a great deal of persistence but I know it can be done. thanks again for all that you do to make the world a better place.
Thom, might you have Justice Spencer Roan's response to Jefferson regarding Marbury v. Madison? His legal opinion is worth considering.
Bad on the bully ads interrupting comments by Senator Sanders.
Dammit Thom, you just stole my line!
Unfettered growth is the definition of cancer.
It is good to use this line as a button to push when dealing with those who are delusional and believe that there are no such things as limits. "Earth First! We'll Strip Mine the Others Later!"
Thom
I'm afraid the next problem for the Obama administration is. Everything He has done has been stumped at every turn. We are faced with the multinational corporations who want to return their offshore assets untaxed. It's, like a gluttonous guy sitting on a pile of money crying for water. Bring me water! They are just not willing to get up off that pile of cash and help themselves. It is my hope that president Obama does not reverse tax law to accommodate them with out addressing the tax code that enabled them to amass these funds. If corporate taxes are to be lowered to 25% than all loopholes must be closed all corporations must contribute. If the Republicans were so in love with fostering the growth of small business they certainly would not have given so many outlandish tax cuts and loopholes for corporations to jump through. You just have to love Mitt Romney (well corporations are people) in bizarro world.
I want to move to Vermont, just so I can vote for Bernie! Well, Bernie's not the only reason - Vermont is a beautiful state.
I can understand watching a genteel commercial perhaps at the beginning or ending of a segment -- but NOT right in the middle of a live broadcast! What that does, is convert your form of "free speech" into a commercially censored broadcast that is, apparently, beyond your control ... unless you remove them.